they're coming!!!

OK. I am very chirpy and excited now because two of my favourite acts are coming to Singapore soon! It's like a dream come true, because I just mentioned recently how much I wished they were back, and they did!


1)

"有一句话对蔡琴的形容最为经典 “唱得好的没她说得好，说得好的没她唱得好”。蔡琴的演唱会一直都是绝佳听觉享受的保证，『蔡琴 2009 新不了情 新加坡演唱会』也将不例外"

DATE: 23 May 2009. Sat, 8pm

VENUE: Singapore Indoor Stadium


TICKET PRICE (Exclude Booking Fee)
Standard - S$168, S$148, S$128, S$98, S$78




2) Isaac left me an msn msg while I was away: "RACHAEL YAMAGATAAAAA! 15 APRIL!!!!!"
I hurriedly scrutinised the entire Sistic site but could not find it! Here's hoping that his information is all true.





see I knew 2009 was gonna kick some whoop ass! awesome =) now, ANYONE>? =)

I am chopping off my man-bangs in two weeks' time. I will miss it.

Catch it while you can.

The Reader

I Love The Reader.

This is the best movie I've seen so far this year; even better than TCCOBB and SM. Stephen Daldry directed a mesmerisingly beautiful and tragic tale that left me with a heavy heart after I left the theatres. Stephen, who also directed The Hours, created a heartbreaking, and utterly poetic movie.

Kate Winslet plays Hannah Schwitz, who had a summer affair with 15 yr old Michael (David Kross). She awakened his sexual desires, while he reads to her. Several years later, Hannah was prosecuted for being a guard in a Jew concentration camp. Michael, now a lawyer undergrad, must come to terms with the secrets of their past, and the dilemmas of her actions.

In the reins of The Hours, The Reader is filled with swelling piano riffs, except this time the score is not by Philip Glass. It's littered with beautiful instances that might not say alot in terms of dialogue, but the acting and the scene will be magnificent enough just to observe. It's like seeing beauty, but cant quite put your hands on. It's a simple scene like a well-decorated jail cell, with pictures of flowers and handwritings; a scene of Hannah seeing a children's choir possibly for the first time, and crying at the beauty of it; it's hearing someone read to you, and feeling like everything in the whole world.


Kate Winslet. The hype is real. I had no qualms with the actress-or-supporting-actress dilemma, nor her naked, and not so perfect body. Her face says it all. Unlike the other 3 contenders whose movies I've seen (with the exception of Melissa Leo), there wasnt any breakout moment for the actress. But the kind of sadness you feel for her was similar to that when she told Jack not to let go in Titanic. It is hard to watch Kate without feeling for her character. She sucks you in that way.

David Kross was tremendously underrated amongst all the hype in my opinion. But I see the same actor-or-supporting-actor dilemma that might have limited his chances. Still, it was a brave performance (with full frontal nudity), and the transformation from youth to adult was significant. Ralph Fiennes, playing the middle aged Michael, didnt have much parts to shine, but he's got presence.

Lena Olin. I miss her since ALIAS went off-air. As always, one look from her is enough to create a genocide. That frame with just her staring back was very powerful. I'm glad she's retained that gumption in her.

This is not everyone's cup of tea. Some of the things are not blatent, and it might take a while before you get the meaning and plot (like how I did while chatting with Quin for a long while after our movie). It may even be ambiguous at parts, but give it a try and see, and you may just like it.






There was a drama queen in my theatre, who BAWLED during one of the scenes. I was thinking: "wa, i know sad la, but need to cry until like that meh?!" so i began to think of the following:
- maybe she is like one of the character
- maybe her bf sitting beside her dumped her in the theatres
- maybe her dog died
- maybe she's a Jew from one of the camps. like a really old caucasian auntie.
-maybe, just maybe, she REALLY REALLY felt Kate Winslet.

after the movie, me and Quin stayed behind, trying to find out who this person really is (they were the last to leave). She took out her comb after the movie and started combing her hair. Turns out to be this young girl that looked too pretty to even cry. Well, not that I have a grudge against young women who don't seem like they felt for the movie (who's to judge anyway), but just that she's not the kind who would cry over a movie with those bimbo shorts and hair!

ok. I'm getting offensive. Our speculations carried on from there to determine how much this couple truely love each other, which coincided with my Carrie-Bradshaw-sipping-coffee-and-writing moment this morning during breakfast: can we really tell just by looking, whether two person are in love, or trying to stay in love?

It led to my conclusion, that two person in a relationship who do not really love each other, is a more torturous situation than any singleton's fear of loneliness. In keeping up appearances, in playing mind games, in knowing that you are living in a lie, is possibly more bleak than being unwanted/not in love.

I love pensive Sundays. I'm keeping it that way. And Thom Yorke's The Eraser cannot be a better soundtrack.

Oscar predictions

Well, I can't call it a prediction because this is a list of my preferred winners. But of course, I hope I score a touchdown! hahaha


Best Picture: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons
This is a tough one. But this film left a greater emotional impact on me over SM. Even though SM was vividly shot and provided the easier movie-going experience, had a great kid-chasing opening scene, with a kick-ass soundtrack and cute child actors to boot, TCCOBB has Cate. She anchored the movie more than Brad. And then there's David Fincher with his great vision.

Best Actor: Sean Penn
Until I see Mickey Rourke tomorrow, I am sticking with this one first.

Best Actress: Kate Winslet
I have to believe the hype, until I see the movie on Sunday.

Best Director: Danny Boyle, for Slumdog Millionaire
For the acute eye that captured India at its worst, yet managed to make it look beautiful and stunning. He made me want to go to India even if I have to keep my belongings in my underwear, never take off my shoes, and have to stop at every 2 steps because of the crowd.

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, DOUBT
She sucked me in during the 10 minutes she was in the movie, together with her mucus and all. It was a powerful supporting role and a terrifically revelatory scene for the movie. I'm dying to see Penelope Cruz in Vicky Christina Barcelona next week, and I know she will be good. But I'm going with the performance that had me at the edge of my seat.

Best Supporting Actor: Heath ledger.
Need I say more? Heath. Ledger.


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road


BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman

TATIANA DEL TORO. farewell

"Thank You America. Pls vote, this is my dream, and it's up to you to keep it alive. Thank you so much. Gracias." - after her performance.

"This is up to America.
It's up to the power of love.
And up to faith
and up to talent
and hard work.
I'm so blessed to be here."
-- Tatiana Del Toro, right before she was voted off American Idol. Farewell.






I must admit feeling a little guilty after all this commotion over the "most annoying contestant in Idol history." I feel sorry that she was being milked by the producers, and how her seemingly natural desires to seek fame were so out-of-touch with the rest of the world. This is officially the furthest someone who appears delusional has ever come in Idol history. Well, at least so until the Wild Card show.

But you got to admit, she's one hell of an entertaining contestant. I will miss her =(

Idol blogging. er-her-her-her-her

Simon Cowell just implied that Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like A)Natural Woman" "irrelevant". He lost my respects for about 5 minutes. A true Idol fan can never hate Simon.


TATIANA DEL TORO. Even William Hung did not make me laugh as hard as she did today. That hip-sway, that giggle, that pseudo-demure face, that cued giggle, and that last line she input at the end after Ryan read out her numbers, was HILARIOUS. I have never laughed harder watchin Idol. Classic. And for that I wished she's through. Her singing was not bad anyway.

Tatiana also allergedly compared her style to "world music". While I understand what she meant (meaning she can do all sorts of style, pop r&b hip hop country rap), using "world music" makes her sound like she's going to be the next Enya.

Paula was surprisingly spot-on and cohesive today! Kara must have made her step up her game hahahahahah. She was spot-on when:
- she said Anoop sounded like a Brian McKnight. She might as well have said my comment to America =)
- Calling Stephen Fowler's song choice of MJ's Rock Wit U a suicide move, or something along that line.
- Naming all the past contestants who have sang Gavin De Graw's I Don't Wanna Be. Heck even Idol fans like me was only abled to name 2, but she did 3! I still got to give her props, even for memorising her script well if there were any.
- for not paraphrasing Kara or repeating her words too often. AND she has more to say than usual.


NPH IN THE HOUSE!!! AWESOME.


Csey Carlson. did anyone else see her pull away her hands from her mum's laps violently?! She looks like Blair from Gossip Girl, but singing a Police song could not be a worse choice. The resident Prom Queen is pretty allright, but does not have the stage presence, nor oddity, to pull off that song.


What's up with the whole "trying to find out who you are as an artist" thing?! That sure sounds like a good excuse for someone who did not perform well.

Underdogs today: Ricky Brady and Michael Sarver!

new flashy mic!

How can Stephen Fowler cover an MJ song, especially one like Rock Wit U, without any dance moves?!?!?! Hideous.

I use to think that only Mariah can perform HERO, because that song has such a tough tone to it, that the soul has got to be right, if not it is very easy to risk sounding like a soul-less robot. Then again, Mariah's recent performance at Obama's The Neighbourhood Party was a little lacklustre. Now I know that Danney Gokey, and a man at that, can sing it too. I must agree that it is over-hyped. it was good at best. Simon earned 10 respect points for pointing that out unlike the other judges.








i LOVE Wednesdays because of American Idol =)

Slumdog Millionaire

If this second version of the poster is any indication, Slumdog Millionaire will probably sweep the Oscars come Monday, like it has at all major awards presentation thus far, like how Dav Patel won 2 million rupies in the film.

There is no stopping the momentum of this film, and the feel-good enthusiasm will only spread further.

SM is definitely the harder film to shoot, given the terrain, the chaos, and the language barrier and differences. Those images of the slumps and the harsh living conditions under which people in India live are all real. To an outsider, the image is a startling realisation at how backwards it all is, which leads to a curiosity about India. SM, I believe, will do for India what Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon did for Asian movies. It will spawn growing interest, and perhaps even tourism, in India.

A R Rahman's score sounded like an innovative accompaniment to the film, until I question myself how different it is from typical Bollywood movies. Perhaps it was the Western fusion that made the score stand out from standard Bollywood fare. M.I.A's Paper Plane was used yet again and blended well into the film. Those gunshots on hindsight felt like a prelude. This award is Rahman's to lose.

SM is this year's Little Miss Sunshine: the film that came from nowhere but is now everywhere. This feel-good movie's only criticism from me is its incredulity. Everything seemed to be fated, coincidental to the point where events in his life led him to win the grand prize. This is the total opposite of TCCOBB: one has real subjects, but an incredible plot, while the other had an out-of-this-world subject yet very earthly concerns and emotions.

I've yet to come to terms with which is the infinite personal favourite. But that is perhaps not such an important question as to how much each movie has affected me. SM is definitely a movie for the masses. You have to believe the hype, not the race.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons / Away From Her

It should be a crime to look as good as Brad Pitt.

TCCOBB is one of the best movies I've seen so far this year. The retelling of BB's life, from young to old, or rather, old to young, was a 3-hour slowburn that ended with more than a few questions about living, dying, and growing old. David Fincher seems to have mellowed from his Fight Club/Panic Room days and focusing on long storytelling, like Zodiac and TCCOBB. While I never understood the rave reviews over Zodiac, I'm liking this TCCOBB. It must be the pensive script, or the extensive and marvellous makeup that miraculously made Brad Pitt younger and older by some 30 years or so.

Brad Pitt was just looking good, not acting. Well, maybe he was acting old, but I definitely did not think the performance was nomination-worthy, nor even his career best. Cate Blanchett mesmerises as always. Her performance wasnt her personal best, but it is always a joy to see her on screen, even when she plays a flawlessly skinned and bodied young woman till an old, wrinkled one.

The story is heart-breaking, but hopeful at the same time. This fable will leave you with something to bring home, a feeling or emotion that sticks around for a while even after you have left the theatre. All good movies do that.

But a movie is sometimes only as good as how much you immense yourself into it. So if your butts and minds are not ready for a 3hour long sit, you will most probably not enjoy this year's most nominated Oscar front-runner.






I chanced upon Away From Her on OKTO while channel-surfing after I reach home. The story about a woman's decline while suffering from Alzheimer's, and her husband's efforts to come to terms with it, is a heart-wrenching one to watch. Beautiful shots of snow-covered cottages, mountains and flowers, coupled of more than a few scenes that hinted at the line "do not go gentle into that light", and the actors' performances lifted the movie. I was not very convinced with how the second part happened, because it seemed to have drifted a little too far off the main plot of coming to terms with the disease. The second half lacked focus. But the first half, when the old couple was newly acquainted with the disease, and the symptoms start to pour in one after another, was a harrowing part to behold because of the reality of the illness. Alzheimers can make you forget how to pronounce "wine", where to keep your kitchen utensils, and even make you forget how to put out a fire.

Honestly, I would rather die from a painful disease that toils on my body. But then again, I wouldn't want to live long enough for that to happen. I believe not a lot of things can be quite as scary as losing the memories and the ways of living.

The recent deaths around me awakened the painful realisation that death is imminent, and it is coming; I hate to think of how my funeral will be like, because sometimes a person does not have much choice over matters of his dead body. But if ever I could, I would want to be cremated. Then the ashes released over some beautiful ocean. Or so I think.

Julie Christie was nominated for her role, but she lost to Marion Cotillard, who gave a STUNNING once-in-a-lifetime performance in La Vie en Rose.




A new day begins tomorrow. One should always have the courage to "start over again".

This just in

I know I promised myself not to put up so many youtube videos, but how can I do that when there's so many of them worth mentioning?!

I remember during Idol's season 3 finale when Kelly, Reuben, Fantasia, and Diana performed this song. It was the first time I've heard this Barry Manilow song, and wondered to myself: do they still write this kind of songs about dreams, reaching dreams, stars, and reaching stars?! I've come to realise they're writing more mundane stuff like Umbrellas and Poker faces these days. Not to say they're not any great, don't get me wrong. It's just that times have changed.

And seeing Hudson perform yet another personal career highlight, with the recent streak of great Superbowl-Pre-Grammy-Grammy performances, and now this NAACP show with Muhammad Ali, there's no stopping this girl and her impossible voice.

Listen, and you too would want to climb that "unreachable star".

The Pretender

Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace


This album has been lying on my shelf for months, and I wished I had listened to it sooner and discovered its greatness earlier. I guess there's always a time for everything.

Is it time I finally catch Coldplay live when they come in March? I would love to hear Chris Martin perform Lost and Spies live.

watch this

mark my words. if there's one thing u watch on this blog this year, MAKE THIS THE ONE.

Most hilarious and inventive piece of shit i've seen this yr, and i believe it will remain so till june!
credit to Lionel Cai for recommending this =)

"In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an Invincible Summer."
- Albert Camus, off the CD sleeves of k.d. lang's "Invincible Summer"

Egyptian Boy

This is a parody of Estelle and Kanye's HOTHOTHOT "American Boy", which i love to death. and this version is hilarious. read the lyrics to find out why.



Lyrics:
Safwat:
Za number one saeedi sound
Your boy Safwat about to get down
Hottest city in za world right now
My home, I call it Cairo town :)
Bet zey give me a pound
Put a g'neh in my hand right now
Most of za women wear bed sheets
We jus stole zis song beat

Chorus:
I like how you speak, u say zat and zere
and all that greasy gel in your hair
I really want to, eat tameya and fool
u'll be my Egyptian boy, Egyptian boy

Can we get away this weekend
Take me to Nile bay
Tea n sheesha and backgammon at any cafe
Let's go on the subway, take me to yo hood
Zamalek, Shobra, Giza, Heliopolis is good
Dressed in all ur fobby clothes
I love you to death, but you got the nastiest B.O.
tunes on yo cell phone, too much cologne
please be my Egyptian boy, Egyptian boy

Chorus Repeat

Egyptian G:
Smokin' sheesha on a felucca
American people call it hookah
Unfortunately, ur stuck in traffic with me
there's cars always broken, down down
it's gonna clear up, now now
don't pinch me, ow ow
I have a bruise, now now

I'm Egyptian, Stella is what I'm drinkin'
A belly dancer, don't be blinkin'
no pants ya, just a galabeya, hike it up a lil, maybe she be peekin'

Egypt's a sauna, water is what I wanna
The Nile is my hydration
Mother of civilization

There's 81 million folk
and that my friend is no funny joke
Anwar was president before
now Mubarak keeps Egyptians broke
Most of the cars are triple parked
Paying off the cops is my favorite part
the donkeys carry that tra a a ash
Live in a pyramid, no where near it
We don't ride camels, asses!
That Egyptian status
There's nothing like it
so cool, you can't deny it!!

would u be my FOB my FOBx3
would u be myyyyyyx3
would u be my Egyptian Boy
Egyptian Boy

Chorus


Translations:
Saeedi: An Egyptian from Upper Egypt
G'neh: Egyptian Pound(currency)
zat: that
zere: there
tameya: falafel
fool: fava beans
sheesha: hookah
FOB: name for foreigners (Fresh Off the Boat)
felucca: traditional wooden sailing boat used particularly along the Nile in Egypt.
Stella: Local Egyptian beer
galabeya: a tunic worn by Egyptian men and women

Idol Front-runners!

personal favourites, in order of preference. watch. these. people.

Adam Lambert
Lil Round
Jasmine Murray
Danny Gokey
Anoop Desai


and here are my bold predictions for this yr's mentors and performances:

mentors
Bruce Springsteen (bold prediction. but he's got new album)
Beyonce (she appeared in X-Factor anw. and new album needs a boost)
Motown week: ?
country week: George Straits (bold prediction. but has new greatest hits album)
Steve Tyler / Axl Rose / Chad Kroeger / Robert Plant (bold bold bold. esp RP. but they need a rock legend)
Lady Aretha (BOLD. but if this is the biggest season, they need a BIG voice)
Barbra Streisand (could this REALLY be the year?!)


guest performances
KELLY CLARKSON
Jennifer Hudson
David Cook
David Archuleta (all 4 above have new singles)
Taylor Swift (hottest country IT-girl now)
Pink
AKON
MELINDA DOOLITTLE!!!!!!!!!(new single, NEW ALBUM! plus they need to learn to be humble)
Estelle with Kanye West (personal biasness cos i wana watch them perform hahahaha)
Jonas Brothers / Milee Cyrus / Demi Lovato (its a family show afterall)
Usher (I WANA SEE)

I predict a KC riot

allright. i've not given this much thought yet:

ANYONE INTERESTED IN CATCHIN KAISER CHIEFS LIVE IN SINGAPORE ON 7TH APRIL?!?!!?

Fort Canning. i believe it's gonna be wicked fun.
YY! THIS IS A SHOUTOUT TO U! =)

FLEA MARKET

dear all, i will be selling some brand new tees, posters, old magazines, and mayb some books and cds come 7th Feb, Sat, at a void deck near City Harvest Church at Jurong West. it's part of a Flea Market organised by Nanyang CC. it's from 3pm to 9pm.

there will be NO food and services (like massages, manicure, boots-mending) provided. but if u do have time to spare, come pay me a visit la. i might just give u a free cheapskate tee or the poster of ya choice.

as a preview, i will be selling DAVID ARCHULETA POSTER-CALENDAR! hahahahahha. okayy. like anyone care. but if u have a sister or baby who cares (Jake, this is in no way a comment mocking all who enjoys Archie's singing. there's a diff between song lovers and idol-worshipping for their looks. i'm with u on the former heehee), u know where i will be. i will be kiao-ka-ing at the void deck with Susan's cookies, my lay-lio, and tons of kill-time food and reading material.

oh my fren is selling self-made accessories for ya phones and stuff. and susan is selling clothes. so SHOW YOUR LOVE!













k.d. lang came to Singapore a few years ago for a concert to rave reviews. i read about her habit of singing without footwear. although i wasnt a big fan of hers back then, it has been one of the regrets in my life that i didnt catch her when she came.

a regret now becomes a resolution. 101 things to do before i die: catch k.d. lang live without her shoes, serenading me with a heart-wrenchingly powerful version of Hallelujah, AND a caramel coated version of Help Me (optional).

this is one of the greatest songs ever, and her version is my fav, and IMO, the best. Jeff Buckley's comes in at a veryveryvery close 2nd fav.
this is the true sign of a great voice and great singing. and star quality. when it comes to singing, it's just it. there should not be any concerns about sexuality.

fallin'

disappointment, and a loss of words

there is no reason for me to stay on, if everyone else on board this sinking ship has given up hope.

it is perhaps time to finally let feelings and emotions subside. there is no point in a lonely battle.

Close To You

Aretha FRANKLIN - "Close To You" (1978)


Without Love


they dun call her the First Lady of Soul / Queen of Soul for nothing.
Queen Aretha's voice has been said to be one of USA's most valuable natural resources.
while her recent performance at the Presidential Inaugaration was not something everyone comprehends, its no doubt tt she is a living legend.
listen to her performances from the 60s and 70s, when soul music was all organic with piano and backing vocals, perfect harmony and great melody.
Like i told Jake, listening to her makes me feel like asking all the modern shriekers to shut up and just learn.
that spirited Soul in her voice is undeniable.