Tara is 1-Year-Old

  This was how she looked like when she was 2 and a half months old.

Tara turns 1-year-old on 21 September 2011. A loyal dog, such a gem in our lives.

Dragon Squad

Dragon Squad (2005) dir.  Daniel Lee

Don't have much good things to say about the film though it has some magical moments that could have been much more developed. Perhaps too many stars, too many characters, or a money-milking tool. Nothing wrong. Filmmaking is a business. At times a tad too corny in trying to glorify the young enforcers with illustrious careers with what SAS, PLA, SWAT, etc.

Love Trilogy

Sanif Olek's LOVE Trilogy consists of the following short films:
Lost Sole (2006)
A La Folie (2008)
Ameen (2010)

Now when you purchase a copy of the film you help play a part in funding the still-in progress feature film, Ramuan Rahasia (The Missing Ingredient).

It is a crowning moment for a filmmaker to complete his/her first feature. Helping with a small part adds up to a bigger picture.

From Dusk Till Dawn

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) dir. Robert Rodriguez

You can never go wrong with Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Wonderful bonus materials with a feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary which makes me miss the life of working on set. Of course our working hours are horrendous and we don't have as much benefits as they do in the States.

"But we did!"

My buddy, Zakaria Zainal's ambitious photography project, Our Gurkhas is "an anthology of portraits and anecdotes from the retired Singapore Gurkhas as they reminisce about life in the Lion City — from the 50s till today."

 Photo Credit: Zakaria Zainal

“There was a time when people said that Singapore won’t make it,” Kishore Kumar Gurung said, “but we did.”

The last three words to the above lyrics of ‘We are Singapore’ would often leave the retired assistant superintendent amused.

Amused, at how his Singaporean friends would sing it.

“But we did,” Gurung repeated again in a dour tone.

Born and bred in Singapore — as his father too served in the Gurkha Contingent — he is only too proud of the great achievements of this small island.

"Singaporeans should be proud too!"

The way the song is being sung should be changed he suggested, especially the last three words.

"But we did!" the retired assistant superintendent said emphatically. 

 See more @ Our Gurkhas Facebook Photo Album.

Indeed. 

Tropa de Elite 2

I have been in love with Elite Squad since the first time I watched it back in 2009. I even had the theme song playing on my iPod during the regular runs. When they announced the making of Elite Squad 2, I had some reservations, especially with the trailer. So they promoted Captain Nascimento, giving command in comfortable suits. Also because the first film was so successful and the sequel may run the risk of what most sequels truly are, money-milking devices with rotten scripts.

Elite Squad 2 proves me wrong. What an explosive and matured film it is! Deserves it's place as Brazilian's all-time highest grossing film. I'm still reeling from the images of the film and the gaze of Wagner Moura; a man devoid of soul.

This was Elite Squad,


the Sequel,


and the main theme, my running anthem.

Tara

Munich

Munich (2006) dir. Steven Spielberg

The Darjeeling Limited

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) dir. Wes Anderson

Jack: Which direction did your's go?
Francis: What do you mean?
Jack: Your feathers... mine blew toward the mountains
Francis: That's not right. It's not suppose to get blown away. You're suppose to blow on it then bury it.
Peter: I didn't get that. I still have mine.
Francis: You guys didn't do it right. I asked if you read the instructions. You did it wrong... I tried my hardest. I don't know what to do.

Because of my Buddhist upbringing, I tend to believe that I'm more positive in life than most people, even when the chips are low, the odds are stacked against me. I always thought I have outgrown the phase of emo, wallowing in self-pity shit pretty fast. But of course there are times when I feel exasperated. I thought about The Darjeeling Limited this evening and how I could connect Owen Wilson's Francis. The Darjeeling Limited is the 143th disc I have recorded and only halfway through. The film is a collection of memories of June 2008. A failed sponsored trip to Beijing, friendship, a viral attack that could have cost my life, of giving up a vegetarian diet.

Star of the Soldier

September 11, 2001. High up in Afghanistan's Mountains, Vergos, a French reporter, finds out about the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre. He remembers... 1984. Nikolai, a young Soviet musician, is drafted to fight in the war in Afghanistan. Sick with fear, he's engulfed in a world of violence and death.

While on a combat mision he is captured by Commander Massoud's Mujahideen and taken deep into the mountains where the Afghan rebels are taking cover. Although some Mujahideen want Nikolai dead, others feel compassion for him. There he also meets Vergos, who stays with the rebels to document their fight. Against all odds, the Soviet soldier, the French reporter and the Mujahideen gradually become friends. A year later Massoud's Mujahideen set Nikolai free. Accompanied by Vergos, he embarks on his journey to Pakistan - but was later assassinated by fanatics.

Based on a true story. Vergos is really the director himself, Christophe de Ponfilly, and Nikolai, a friend he made in the Afghan mountains who never saw home again.

L'Etoile Du Soldat AKA Star of the Soldier AKA The Soldier's Star (2006) dir. Christophe de Ponfilly

Behind the scenes of a terrorism said to be "Islamic", with which we are permanently threatened in the same way as children used to be frightened by telling them tales of the bogy man, is Afghanistan. A country I discovered in 1981, which I have crossed on foot several times and which I have filmed for my documentaries. A country from which I learned some truths which remained in the shadows.
During one of my clandestine trips to this country in 1984, Massoud freed a young soviet soldier that had been captured by his men and wished come to the West. With the person that at the time was helping me with the equipment, we were able, after a difficult voyage through the Hindou-Koush, to bring him to Pakistan. Unfortunately in Peshawar, the political representatives of Massoud’s party did not approve the decision of his liberation. They took our Russian friend, who was killed a few months later. This story did not arouse the interest of many people in Western countries. But it was from it that I started to think about making a movie.

The media frenzy that followed the events of September 2001 and the obsession for terrorism that ensued, only increased my desire to shoot this movie. After September 11th the most disparate things have been said on Afghanistan. During the Taleban period, Afghans were seen as dangerous fanatics, after having been depicted as caricatures of uncouth, violent, feudal warriors.By all means the distance between reality and its representation has dramatically increased.
- Christophe de Ponfilly

Little-known in this part of the world, French documentary filmmaker, Christophe de Ponfilly made a career out of war and socio-political documentaries from war-torn Afghanistan. He died two months before the release of his debut narrative feature film, The Soldier's Star. Some Internet sources said he committed suicide. A little gem that I came across from the stacks of all places, TS. I couldn't find much information about the film on the Internet. It's a real pity because it's such a powerful film, especially in a time like ours for the past 10 years. A take on an actual experience Christophe encountered while documenting the Afghan rebels fight against the Soviet back in the mid 1980s, a young Soviet soldier, captured by the Afghans gradually became close friends. 

Well-thought used of black&white footage, HD video and 16mm film. When in Russia, the film was shot in HD video, creating a soap-opera look, the comforts and familiarity of home, the inflexibility of regular living. In Afghanistan, the 16mm takes over.

An impactful ending to the film when the filmmaker draws the audience back to reality, using actual footage shot by Christophe of a Mujahideen and Nikolai. That Vergos is really Christophe, the director himself. Nikolai was real, once living. A young man and his bashfulness evident from the reel captured. The casualness of the Afghan rebel puts a warm human face to the enigmatic generalisation of a people little-known.

16 September

Success Stories LEE KUAN YEW (2001)

88th birthday of the granddaddy of Singapore. A timely post on this DVD boxset (but what's a boxset without collectibles?) A Hong Kong production that gives a fair reflection of Lee Kuan Yew, despite street impression that Hong Kongers are suspicious of the man. One line that ends the two part documentary, "Detractors will say of course that things could have been better. But then... conjecture has no part in history."

 

No matter our political inclinations, we should be mindful that Singapore is what she is today because of the leadership and brilliance of Lee Kuan Yew. No one can doubt his sincerity in building a stable and prosperous country, despite the ever presence of a heavy hand. It will be a great pity if future generations and a possible non-PAP ruling party will to rub off Lee's contributions to this nation as mere authoritative luck.

Relics

from secondary school days. These are songs which I associate to a specific phase in life, seasons, memories. Soundwaves of a Brylcreemed spikey hair. Maybe these songs would be a good glimpse on how I was like from 13 to 16. Another day for all the 'N Sync, Westlife and Backstreets.

Paris, Texas, end of the World

Paris, Texas (1984) dir. Wim Wenders

This is a very special gift from a very special somebody who had scoured the shelves off almost every store in the island, Australia and Amazon.com. The same film which Travis (the Scottish band) got inspiration from to name their band as such. The title of which found its way into the lyrics.

A barren and desolate Texas.

Once

and the wonders of HDV filmmaking.

Once (2006) dir. John Carney

I have a HV10 camera which shoots HDV videos on DV tapes. It's a little broken though. Once was shot using the HDV format and what wonders you can achieve with crisp cinematography, great story and a beautiful soundtrack. Sometimes I think we get too attached trying to find the best format for our films when we forget all the basics of camerawork. Especially so with the advent of the HDSLRs and the fluffiness of soft-focus.

Filmmaker's Guide To Good Weather

Chili and onions. A lesson I learn from 3 years of volunteering on my seniors' FYP film shoots and later working on my own thesis film. Plus 4 years of wkwscifoc. Even Prime Minister Lee endorses it.

Sweet Disposition

(500) Days of Summer (2009) dir. Marc Webb

Beautiful soundtrack. Splitscreen magico.

I don't like romance but I won't mind watching this film again and again. That says a lot.

I'm at disc #138. About another 100 to go. Let's see how far the list can go. It has to stop somewhere. I don't have enough shelves for everything. At least some of it has to go out, somewhere else. The ones which I think are not worth a re-watch. I can't possibly keep everything forever. Maybe some day I can open a public film archive with a screening room and red sofas.

Impromptology

One of the best training that I had back in university was to take your camera and go out at night and shoot. Grab a couple of friends and just try and shoot something. Practice on your framing, on guerrilla filmmaking, on directing actors, on impromptology, location scouting, seeing the world in the twilight zone. I've shot so much stuff that I haven't even had time to sit down and edit them, even though it's been a year since graduation. It's time for a revisit. That being said, the shimmer of the night seems to be most attractive for a low-budget debut feature.A point to note.

Masterclass

Filmmaking masterclass at PKSSSS. Yah right, dream on. You can learn to laugh at your own foolishness. Just don't go overboard.

Dhamma Sanantano

 

 

 

 

Singapore Town

Bedok North

 

 Toa Payoh of Teenage Dreams.

Foch Road

It's a miracle this clinic is still around. My earliest memory of it was 22/23 years ago.

Defu Lane

Working Title

Writing scripts, thinking of locations, keeping it to 5 minutes.

Do you feel lucky, punk?

Dirty Harry (1971) dir. Don Siegel

Detective Harry Callahan. He doesn't break cases. He smashes them.

Harry, may I find your inspiration and streak within myself.

Mojo Baby

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Austin Powers in Gold Member (2002)

Dr. Evil: Gentlemen, I have a plan. It's called blackmail. The Royal Family of Britain are the wealthiest landowners in the world. Either the Royal Family pays us an exorbitant amount of money, or we make it seen that Prince Charles has had an affair outside of marriage and therefore would have to divorce!
Number Two: Prince Charles *did* have an affair. He admitted it, and they are now divorced.
Dr. Evil: Right, people you have to tell me these things, okay? I've been frozen for thirty years, okay? Throw me a frickin' bone here! I'm the boss! Need the info.
[pause]
Dr. Evil: Okay no problem. Here's my second plan. Back in the 60's, I had a weather changing machine that was, in essence, a sophisticated heat beam which we called a "laser." Using these "lasers," we punch a hole in the protective layer around the Earth, which we scientists call the "Ozone Layer." Slowly but surely, ultraviolet rays would pour in, increasing the risk of skin cancer. That is unless the world pays us a hefty ransom.
Number Two: [pause] That also already has happened.
[in original pressings, Number Two said "That also has already been done."]
Dr. Evil: Shit. Oh hell, let's just do what we always do. Hijack some nuclear weapons and hold the world hostage. Yeah? Good! Gentlemen, it has come to my attention that a breakaway Russian Republic called Kreplachistan will be transferring a nuclear warhead to the United Nations in a few days. Here's the plan. We get the warhead and we hold the world ransom for... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
Number Two: Don't you think we should ask for *more* than a million dollars? A million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days. Virtucon alone makes over 9 billion dollars a year!
Dr. Evil: Really? That's a lot of money.
[pause]
Dr. Evil: Okay then, we hold the world ransom for...
Dr. Evil: One... Hundred... BILLION DOLLARS!

Of Doves and Smokin' Guns

 A Better Tomorrow (1986)

The Killer (1989)

Hard Boiled (1992)

Don't have much John Woo to shout about. The good ol' days of HK cinema. Chow Yun Fatt in his trench coat, smokin' pistols, acrobatic gun-fu.


A must-watch. 3 minute tracking shot.