All Things Uniq!

I hope this will spur you to go out and help to boost the economy! Here are the two stuff I got from the Uniqlo sale:
For a Parka that is originally $19.90, I bought it at $9.90! Heard from ff that the parkas are all sold-out. Uniqlo, when are you going to stock them up again? (And the jeans?)

And a plain, cotton long-sleeved shirt also for $9.90 (U.P. $19.90).
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And our long-awaited kbox! I mean, Partyworld. Have to apologise to some who I forgot to jio =( After the fun that we had, it is a guarantee that we will have another session in the near future =D
(Photos courtesy of Fifi)

Partyworld is certainly more colourful than Kbox. And we had student discount! $19.80 for a 4-hour session. Not that bad when you take into account that the room has the disco-feel, and you can add mechanical cheering and clapping when someone is singing =D

Javior can really sing. Pei fu, pei fu. All the bestest for your Impresario! =D

Wang and Jav BFF. Yinghui Karaoke-star wannabe. Kenny Aishwarya Rai wannabe (!!??). Me advertising for a cup. Fifi Caribbean dancer.

And here's presenting to you the Singers' Gallery~
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JB TRIP - it's City Square again, but this time it was different. I had to control myself so that I can splurge at KL!

Christmas gifts came early this year. The tee on the left is Fungi's gift exhange for me. And the handmade stuff on the right is for Peijun and Yeewen.
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REVIEWS

Time for some reviews. Starting with Rihanna's Rated R.
I give the album:




Solid and gritty, this is a well-produced CD packed with dark but extremely listenable material. It may be unsettling at times (her first single Russian Roulette ends with an ominous gunshot), but you'll find yourself spinning the record again to hear the different layers of the stories that this grown-up lass is trying to tell.

PUT ON REPEAT: Russian Roulette, Rude Boy, Photographs (ft Wil.i.am)
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Next up, movies.

Firstly, the disappointing 风云 II aka Storm Warriors.
I give the film:





What you see is what you get?

Partly. When audiences were treated earlier to the great trailer of Storm Warriors, it just whetted our appetite for more. In any case, fans of this classic comic book adaptation have been waiting more than a decade for producers to create this sequel, and inevitably, expectations are high.

What you get in the movie is - thankfully - groundbreaking effects that the trailer promised, but out of all the swirling fire and sword fights, the plot and characterizations fall flat to the ground.

SYNOPSIS
The story tells of an evil lord with superior power who plans to take over China together with his son (a rather extra Nicholas Tse). It is now up to Cloud (a very charismatic Aaron Kwok) and Wind (an effective Ekin Cheng) to battle against the tyrants, since their master has suffered tremendous injury in his battle against the evil lord. Wind has taken up the potentially-dangerous responsibility of learning the art of the dark side, as that would be the only chance to counter the strength of the evil lord. But soon enough, Wind is overwhelmed by the 'evil forces' in him, and Cloud has to make the hard decision whether to destroy Wind to prevent him from wreaking further havoc.

PLUS POINTS
Filmed stylistically, props must be given to the Pang Brothers (the duo who brought us the chiller, The Eye) for translating the comic book's vivid colours and action so beautifully onto screen. Several fight sequences feature eye-popping effects that keep the audience at the edge of the seat; but sadly, relying solely on graphics and dramatic close-ups do not make a good movie.

FLAWS
Featuring two of the most useless female characters we've seen in a long time (one of them being Charlene Choi), the storyline does not bother about characterizations, so much so that when characters die-off, the audience do not get engaged. And a blatant attempt at a love story only results in more rolling of the eyes. Plus, there probably wouldn't be a more unsatisfying ending you'll watch at the movies this year.

FINAL SAY: Watch it only for the decidedly interesting effects, and the cool performance by Aaron Kwok (albeit a one-dimensional one). If not, save your money for Avatar.
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And secondly, the can-be-better The Reader.
I give the movie:





Academy Award winner for Best Actress? Well-deserved. But Best Picture nominee? The Dark Knight definitely deserved to fill that spot than The Reader.

SYNOPSIS
The film follows a 15-year-old boy who falls for a train-attendant who's twice his age. Their sexual routines are interlaced with him reading stories to her, and this continues until their push-and-pull relationship come to an abrupt end, leaving the boy upset and confused. It is only later realised that the woman is harbouring a terrible secret in a sensitive time in Germany, and which begins a heartbreaking story of the two individuals, whose mutual acquaintance forever changed their lives.

PRAISES & FLAWS
The incomparable Kate Winslet is obviously the star of the show here. Her transformation from a strong-headed yet distraught woman charged in court to a pitiful old woman is heart-wrenching to watch. While both Ralph Fiennes and his 15-year-old portrait performed well also, the adapted screenplay suffered from a lack of a clear emotional depth that the audience can connect with.

FINAL SAY: An often depressing film, it is the actors' performances that add colour to the bleak template.
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Okay, that's all.

Holidays are always too short. Can't wait for KL trip!

Watch out for my year-end countdown of music and movies coming soon.

Take care, people!