Across 3 Languages

Hey peeps, I'm here to present 3 fantastics songs that I've recently acquired and they're arguably in my 3 fave languages.

1) English
2) Mandarin aka 华语
3) Japanese aka 日本語 / にほんご / Nihongo

Firstly, I've recently caught the movie Across The Universe (which i'll review later). It's a 1960's love-story woven altogether by Beatles' songs. And this is one of the most moving and powerful moments in the film.

Let It Be


~

Secondly, it's 林宥嘉 and 刘力扬's duet, 传说. It's an okay song but I've grown to really appreciate 林宥嘉. He's a fantastic singer. Can't wait for his album.

传说


~

Lastly, it's Mongol 800's Chiisana Koi No Uta from the series Proposal Daisakusen. Muahaha, finally found this song on imeem. This rocks!! Here's the vid + lyrics.

Chiisana Koi No Uta


~

Here's my review of Across The Universe.

I give the film:



This independent movie-musical was highly-anticapted by Beatles fans all over the world. For the first time ever, arguably the world's greatest band is finally getting a tribute on film. However, the movie opened to mixed reviews, and I can understand why.

Basically, the story is woven together conveniently for the sake of the songs, and the pacing is bad and jarring, the characters utterly forgettable in the first half of the movie.

However, the turning point is definitely Let It Be (see first video above). The arrangement of I Want to Hold Your Hand (sang by an ernest Asian girl) also deserves mention.

FINAL SAY: Average script and not-very-stellar Beatles tribute masked in sometimes over-the-top musical moments. But not without its gems.
~

Argh got guard duty tomorrow on Labour Day!

Take care, peeps!

Happy 13th!

Yup, today's my bro's birthday. Happy 13th!

Before that, I received this letter on friday:
And inside it was......

Mass Comm accepted me! I passed the interview!!

BUT... now my uncle is asking me to think whether I really want to take the Mass Comm path. Or stick to NusFASS, pursue Economics or Sociology or something like that, so that it is more practical next time.

"If you want to write for a newspaper, be a journalist or editor, you can always do it freelance or part-time."

Argh!! I can't decide, really.
~

Anyway, celebrated bro's birthday @ Kallang Leisure Park on saturday night, @ Akashabu, this shabu-shabu (japanese steamboat) restaurant. It's damn delicious.

Here is my Japan Hour... all pics taken by yours truly =)

And here's the foooood....

You can see the crab's legs sticking out. The crab meat is sweeeet neh.. =x

This is their special peanut sauce (with me dipping with pork). Wow.. the sauce is good!

This is the house-famous grilled prawns in creamy cheese topping.. oiishii desu neh!!!!!!

Unagi rice.

Ending with sweet red-brean ice-cream dessert. Slurrrp.

Random pic of me and bro foolin' around...

After the fantabulous dinner, we went to take a look at the dog-show that was going on at the atrium..

~
Sunday: baoyuan weilong yoketeng came over for mahjong.

In the last round, this was yoketeng's combi:

Thank goodness she didn't win! 七台leh!!!! She was 'zhuang' + the chicken + the cat + qing yi se = 7 double. *Peng*


~
WOw, this was a long post.

Got to book in.

Take care, peeps!

Addicted to Laughter

For your entertainment =D

"Charlie Bit My Finger!"


MAD Tv - 3 Minute Meal


MAD Tv - Airline Passenger Safety


Take care, peeps!

I'll Stand By You

Followed dad to car showroom on saturday. Initially he wanted to show us the Honda Odyssey and Honda Jazz. However, me and bro totally changed his mind. After test-driving Honda CRV and Honda Stream, our new car is born......

The HONDA CR-V!

Yeah, it's smooth and rugged. I sat at the driver's seat to get the 'feel'. It feels snug and alright. Great =) Can't wait to drive it! =P Colour will be 'Green Tea'. Sounds cheesy? But the colour is maintenance free and it looks damn chio.

Watched The Forbidden Kingdom with my family (it's such a family-film) @ FilmGarde @ Kallang Leisure Park. The cinema is surprisingly good. Just like a normal Cathay or GV theatre.





It's a surprisingly good Hollywood film that's (loosely) based on the Chinese story of Journey To The West.

Those that've eagerly anticipated to see Jet Li and Jackie Chan spar in the same movie, you'll NOT be disappointed. The martial arts choreography is helmed by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping (卧虎藏龙 and Matrix trilogy) are realised by the two fantastic actors in many scenes.

Liu Yi Fei (last seen in Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle as a mute) is scene-stealing beautiful as the avenging Sparrow plus Li Bing Bing as a white-haired witch round off the largely Chinese cast that makes this show credible to watch.

Michael Angarano (Sky High) is the awkward American lead who does a competent job here. However, it's the English-speaking that cripples this movie.

FINAL SAY: Weak script and dialogue but nevertheless a very enjoyable movie that's worth the wait for Jet and Jackie. The kung fu alone will please everyone.
~

Take just 3 minutes of your life to watch this video.

Carrie Underwood's I'll Stand By You on Idol Gives Back, American Idol's annual charity show.

~

Went to check out Haji Lane (near Arab St next to Bugis). They have this array of shops by local designers. The stuff there is real cool! I bought this brown berm there @ $30. Was on discount. Next month get pay i'm definitely going back there again =P

Exterior of the shop where I bought my berms.

The interior of the shop. K, I took this secretly, so quite a bad pic.

That's the brown berms. The top is from 77th Street. I now have 77th Street discount card. If you want to buy anything from there, tell me! Got 10% discount.

And, some random pics...

~

Okay, got to bathe and book in liao.

Take care, peeps!

E=MC²

(^ nice pic hor? I take one =P)



Okay, you guys know I'm a fan =P But judging by all the reviews on the net, and Straits Times Life!, suffice to say, 4STARS is a reasonable rating. Check this out~

After making history with her 18th #1 career single - Touch My Body - and surpassing Elvis 'The King' Presley's record, Mariah Carey makes an explosive comeback with her 10th studio album: E=MC².

(FYI: E = Emancipation and MC = Mariah Carey. Her previous effort was The Emancipation of Mimi. So this time she wants it to be doubly better.)

The album can be summed up with one equation:

E = MC² = R&B + Pop Genius

While her previous critically-acclaimed and 'Best Selling Album of the Year's' The Emancipation of Mimi (TEOM) was a fantastic sound for Mariah, E=MC² is a mass-appeal and solid record that will please not only the fans, but the urban crowd as well.

People who digged her previous smash We Belong Together are going to be glad that on this album, I Stay In Love and I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time are sure-fire hit singles. As of TEOM's Fly Like a Bird, my personal favourite here is Bye Bye, a very touching and effective single that is an extreme stand-out in this CD.

TRACK LISTING + comments:

1) Migrate featuring T-Pain - Powerful start to the album. R&B gem.

2) Touch My Body - Needless to say, it's an infectious pop single, as of all her first singles.

3) Cruise Control featuring Damian Marley - Favourite R&B track on this album. Has a bit of 'Shake It Off' feel to it. But better.

4) I Stay In Love - Potential hit. Reminiscent of 'Breakdown'. Will be the next 'We Belong Together'.

5) Side Effects featuring Young Jeezy - Personal lyrics masked in sleek sounds.

6) I'm That Chick - Disco vibe more than compensates for the cheesy title. Groovy.

7) Love Story - IMO the weakest track on the album. Just a plan r&b ballad.

8) I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time - A throwback to 90's Mariah - which is fantastic. Feel-good music.

9) Last Kiss - Sweet love song.

10) Thanx 4 Nothin' - Very old-school Mariah also. Works well.

11) O.O.C. - No, not out of course. Rather, it's out of Control. A different music style that pays off. I actually enjoy this a lot.

12) For The Record - She's setting some record straight with this song.

13) Bye Bye - FAVOURITE song on this album. It's the OFFICIAL 2nd SINGLE. Trust me, it's going to be a HUGE hit. (scroll down for song + lyrics)

14) I Wish You Well - Similar gospel feel but doesn't quite replicate the now-classic Fly Like A Bird. But nice soulful ending to a fantastic album.

~
So here you go: This is sure going to be a very special song for a lot of people.

Listen to the song and read the lyrics...

Mariah's 2nd Single:
BYE BYE


# This is for my peoples who just lost somebody
Your best friend, your baby
Your man or your lady
Put your hand way up high
We will never say bye
No, no, no

Mamas, daddys, sisters, brothers
Friends and cousins
This is for my peoples
Who lost their grandmothers
Lift your head to the sky
Cause we will never say bye #

As a child there were them times
I didn't get it
But you kept me in line
I didn't know why
You didn't show up sometimes
On Sunday mornings and I missed you
But I'm glad we talked through

All them grown folk things
Separation brings
You never let me know it
You never let it show
Because you loved me and obviously
There's so much more left to say
If you were with me today
Face to face

[ Chorus ]
I never knew I could hurt like this
And everyday life goes on I wish
I could talk to you for a while
Miss you but I try not to cry
As time goes by

And it's true that you've
Reached a better place
Still I'd give the world to see your face
And be right here next to you
But it's like you're gone too soon
Now the hardest thing to do is say

Bye bye...

You never got a chance to see
How good I've done
And you never got to
See me back at number one
I wish that you were here
To celebrate together
I wish that we could
Spend the holidays together

I remember when you used to
Tuck me in at night
With the teddy bear you gave me
That I held so tight
I thought you were so strong
You'd make it through whatever
It's so hard to accept the fact
You're gone forever

[ Repeat Chorus ]

[ Repeat ## ]

[ Repeat Chorus till fade ]
~

Aww, so touching right?

Cherish the people you love!

Take care, peeps!

Deserving, Undeserving Pt.2

[ this is a continuation of the previous post ]

[ edited as of 15 April 2008 ]

AS PROMISED, this is the vid that I couldn't upload previously.

DEYI SECONDARY SCHOOL (GOLD WITH HONOURS) BEST BAND PERFORMANCE





Random pic of Rayna comforting our dear BP Band members after the results are announced. Sian. We should've gotten a GOLD!!

Better quality BP show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-_RM1mTCs&feature=related -> Fantastic show
~

FYI: Performances of ALL the bands can be found @ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=syf+2008&search_type=
~

Gonna be a busy busy week for me.

Take care, peeps!

Deserving, Undeserving

I have limited time to finish this post. I've to book in soon!!

Firstly, saturday morning went to NTU Mass Communications interview @ WKWSCI. Whoa.. alot of chio-bu =P But yea, I'm very interested in the course. Glad the interview went well. *Keeping fingers crossed*

After that I chiong-ed down to National Stadium in a cab ($20) for the 2008 SYF Marching Band Competition.

No time to say much. Just show you pics and vids. Some rants: Deyi won best band. Yay, they deserve it. Broke TK's spell of 4-time-each-time-$30K-win. BP got silver. VERY UNDESERVING I feel. This year a lot of bands went the China-route. Is it the Beijing Olympics? But anyway, it's over. BP Band ah, is the best ah!

(I'll only feature a few bands)

BP Band gathered outside for a group photo. Lookin' good...


One last sound-check outside the stadium by instructor Daniel...


The A-team's Chinese Lanterns. They cost $95 each!


TK Band (GOLD WITH HONOURS). Muahaha, no longer the champs. Those two thingys you see are actual 舞龙 (Chinese dragons).

This is TK's short ending vid:



This is Pingyi (SILVER). Due to time constraint I won't upload their vid. But their trumpet solo is damn daring and impressive!!


Bowen (GOLD). They've gone completely cheena! (and ironically, a bit boring)


BP Band's performance. SILVER. You watch for yourself and see if it's Silver standard. Personally, (and according to a lot of people's opinions) it's a Gold.



BP Band leaving the stadium after their performance and the BP crowd (in the colourful house tees!) cheering them on!


West Spring (SILVER). Also under Mr Gooi. Rumours are that they're combining with BP!? They've got our trademark, quite obvious. Haiz...don't know about the state of the bands.


This is the opening of Deyi's (GOLD WITH HONOURS) performance. They blew us away with a beautiful beginning - Phantom of the Opera - complete with elegant, graceful dancers. The entire show is splendid i.e. much better than TK =P

I PROMISE to upload DEYI's vid tomorrow ('cause the BP vid is still loading -.-). It's good.

This is Springfield. I seriously don't know what award they got (we simply couldn't hear the announcement). But we're guessing it's Bronze =x They were really, erm, ya.

While waiting for the announcement of results.... here are some random pics....

Yay. The ex-members are decked in white to support dear BP.

All the 9 bands waiting for results.. Sky is getting dark..

Finally (the shocking) results are announced. BP got silver. But they still thanked our supporters traditionally...


The band members who are playing.... our supporters... the school teachers... everyone was crying. Sad scene. It's always like that lah.

But just want to say: BP band I'm very proud of you guys. You've put up an amazing show. Don't be dismayed. There's still 2010. I'm sure you guys will be excellent then. =)
~

Went KBOX with zhiwei, serkun and szern today. Whoa. Sang our hearts out. Left early to eat dinner @ aunt's house.

Need to book in liao!! Shall upload the DEYI BEST BAND video tomorrow if I have nights out. And that single photo from the kbox session =P

Take care, peeps!

Three for Three

Took off today since almost everyone took off so there's no one in camp.

Watched a movie with the R&S guys at Plaza Singapapura last night. Before that had a gut-busting meal @ Carl's Jr. *BURP*

Anyway, due to yongqin's recommendation (okay lah, I was quite interested in it too =p), we caught the film Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon aka 三国之见龙卸甲 starring Andy Lau, Maggie Q and Sammo Hung.

I give the movie:



My knowledge of the Chinese history of the three kingdoms (三国志) was quite limited before I saw this film. But thanks to Yong Qin (his crash course for me on the way home on the MRT), I was able to appreciate this film more.

But that was exactly what crippled the movie. Although it got some of its facts wrong (like the timeline, and the fact that Cao Ying [played by Maggie Q], Cao Cao's granddaughter is not as fierce as depicted), I believe it was for the sake of storytelling. However, the plot itself - initially strong - ended very weakly (and lamely).

And one major complain: if you think Maggie Q was one of the major pulling factors in watching this show, and that you expect her to be oh-so-cool, prepare to be disappointed.


With all the hair-flying and fake pipa-playing, Maggie Q just came off looking extremely bitchy and out-of-place. Jun Ming even commented that during the war scenes, it was as if her pipa-playing had surround sound to reach the ears of all the soldiers fighting. I don't know. It just did seem that ridiculous, you know.



FINAL SAY: An epic story that got a not-so-epic treatment. Andy Lau is probably the best thing from this movie. Watch it but take the story loosely. Very average war flick.
~

Tomorrow got NTU Mass Comm interview! Jitters.

And......
Marching Band Comp @ National Stadium.

Update you guys tomorrow.

Take care, peeps!

Happy v.s. Scary

Firstly: to xiao tigger, sukai and baoyuan. Whoaa, my tagboard like become forum liao hor. Lol =p To Xiaotigger and sukai: I applaud your 'telepathic powers' to come together online. Really very 巧. To Baoyuan, your comments very lame, but thanks anyway. Ask your dad to take care =)

Watched two movies this weekend. One scary. One funny. Two are rather critically-acclaimed. But which one is the better one?

Shall start with the funny one.
Weifang recommended this one. Before that I already wanted to watch. Caught this with zhiwen at orchard today.

Film: Be Kind, Rewind
I give the film:



Jerry (Jack Black) got magnetised accidentally at a power plant and when he enters the video store ran by his friend, Mike (Mos Def), all the tapes are erased. In order to keep the business from going, they are forced to reshoot the movies by themselves.

Hilarity ensues, of course. But it is the ingenuity and creativity of the film-maker that make this movie such a success.

Jack Black is extremely talented as a comedian and it shows through in this spontaneous material. Classics like Ghostbusters, King Kong and Robocop are 'sweded' in this movie and it is a definite delight to watch.

FINAL SAY: An ultimately heartwarming film as well, this movie pays homage to jazz music (a little bit) and, well, movies, for that matter. You'll definitely have a good time!
~

Spent lots of $$$$ in orchard today! Mainly on food. Bla. Can't wait for my pay. Well, zhiwen mentioned some stuff about life in general which was agreeable. We're all stuck in this spiral of stress. Sometimes, I feel, it's important to delight ourselves in the 'little pleasures' in life. Yup =)
~

Next movie, which is the scary one...

The Orphanage aka El Orfanato
I give the film:



There you go; my first 5-STAR rating this year.

I am tremendously impressed (and extremely spooked) by this hell of a ghost story. A lot of the 5STAR is attributed to the frighteningly original storyline. Not since The Sixth Sense have I been so drawn-in by the power of an excellent, horrifying storyline. This movie works on every single level.

Shocking twists, eerie corridors, freaky children, sudden-scares... you'll find it all here. It's a wonder, seriously, why this is rated PG.

I cannot begin to explain the intricate (but very well-planned) plot. But just know that it's heartbreaking.

There are several very effective scary sequences here (but not in the league of in-your-face asian horror - this movie almost make them seem lame and illogical).

P.S.: remember when we used to play the game AEIOU in primary school? Where one person count and the rest advance slowly from the back, and ultimately when he/she touches the person counting, we must all run? Yup, after you watch this movie, you won't want to play it again.

FINAL SAY: Excellent storyline. Extremely spooky. Heartbreaking but very relevant. Go watch it already!
~

Ahhh, have to book in liao.
Very busy week ahead. Looking forward to this saturday's Marching Band SYF @ National Stadium. Woohoo!

Take care, peeps!