How To Train Your Dragon 2025

This was the movie I most wanted to see this year - a live action remake of my favourite animated film, which was released in 2010.

The publicity campaign started ramping up a few months ago, which is when I got a good look at the cast, CGI dragons and various scenes.

And I knew immediately that this was going to be a hit.

3 weeks after opening, it has grossed $464 million worldwide, and is still going strong, thanks to the upcoming 4 July holiday. 

I watched it 2 days after returning from my travels.The movie was so good, I forgot all about my jet lag and exhaustion for 2 hours.

With a $150 million budget, the production value is superb, especially the dragons which are beautifully rendered.

The most important character - Toothless, of course - is absolutely flawless in every way!

The supporting cast - including Gerard Butler and Nico Parker - are great, but the film entirely hinges on Mason Thames' performance as Hiccup.

And he does an AMAZING job.

Kudos to director Dean Deblois for selecting him from a pool of more than 300 hopefuls.

Mason fits the role perfectly, and watching Hiccup evolve from a mousey, awkward wallflower to a full-fledged hero was thrilling.

Maron's scenes with Toothless are also a testament to his acting skills. I watched behind-the-scenes footage of him interacting with puppets for these sequences, yet he's able to display such raw emotion, tugging at our heartstrings and making us reach for our tissues.

He impressed me so much that I rewatched Black Phone ( I saw it a few years ago but didn't like it ).

This round, just for Mason alone, it was time well spent.

HTTYD 2 is already in the works, with rumous that Cate Blanchett may play Valka, Hiccup's mother. ( She voiced the character in the 2014 animated version. )

Crossing my fingers that it will happen!

I'm also now a big Mason Thames fan, even more so after he revealed he loves River Phoenix and Pacific Rim - like me!

Hope he'll continue to make sound career choices and do well in the industry. 

Finally, don't forget John Powell's iconic film score, which gets updated for the remake.

I listened to the 2010 version repeatedly when I was in Iceland.

The combination of Celtic style music with beautiful scenery made me incredibly happy. :)

If you haven't watched the movie yet, it's still screening at cineplexes, so catch it ASAP.

The Most Awesome Trip Ever

This took place a few weeks ago, but I couldn't find the time to write until now.

2025 is a milestone year for me because I turned 50 in June.

I didn't want just my birthday month to be special, but to celebrate the entire year as a whole.

The first 5 months were already amazing, with events like La La Land In Concert, Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt, and my favourite musical of all time, The Phantom Of The Opera, not to mention meet and greets with Justin Hurwitz, Kay and Ben Forster. 

Iceland had been on my bucket list for quite a while, but I was always hesitant to go because of concerns about the weather and physical activity level.

The option to do an easy tour was available, but I felt that it would dilute the experience.

So in mid-2024, I took the plunge, booked an intense 7-day itinerary, and prepped by building up my stamina with various exercise routines.

The result: an epic, unforgettable week in the most gorgeous country I've ever seen, and the perfect setting for an important time of my life.

The trip had a rocky start.

On the morning of day 1, I followed the tour company's instruction to be at the pick-up location "by XX time", but the mini-bus didn't arrive until 45 minutes later.

And thanks to a strange policy about tour vehicles not being allowed to pick passengers up directly from hotels, I had to walk 10 minutes to an unsheltered bus-stop with my large suitcase and 2 bags.

This wouldn't have been problematic, except that morning, there was a hurricane-like wind whipping through Reykjavik at 45-50km/hr; and since I weigh less than 50kg, it almost blew me off my feet multiple times.

The 5 degrees Celsius temperature and wind chill factor added to the misery. Despite wearing appropriate attire, my teeth started to chatter and I seriously questioned my life choices haha.

Fortunately, an Indian man was at the same bus-stop waiting for another tour, so we struck up a conversation and kept each other company, even laughing at the absurdity of our situation.

Once that was over, the rest of the tour proceeded smoothly.

We had a full capacity of 18 travellers with an international mix ( USA, Australia, etc. ) mostly middle-aged to elderly, and a few going solo like me, including an American lady in her 70s.

It turned out to be a great group - friendly and caring, experienced and considerate.

Everyone kept to the tight time schedule and nobody made a fuss about anything.

Best of all, I clicked with a Malaysian-Chinese lady from Sydney - now we're friends on Facebook. :)

As for Iceland itself, words alone don't do it justice, but if you follow my social media accounts, you would've seen the spectacular photos and videos I posted.

I've travelled extensively for the past 25 years, including to countries with jaw-dropping scenery like New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway.

NZ was at the top of this list for 22 years before it was finally dethroned by Iceland.

Although it was technically the start of the summer season, daily temperatures remained at an average of 0-5 degrees Celsius.

I've never been a fan of cold weather so the first couple of days were a bit rough, but I soon acclimatized and that's when I really started to enjoy the tour.

The best way to describe Iceland is "NZ on steroids" haha.

The places I mentioned above share some similarities in terms of scenery ( majestic mountains and glaciers, gorgeous coasts, beautiful lakes ), but Icelandic nature is truly next level with an otherworldly quality.

The itinerary was also thoughtfully curated, with a distinct theme each day.

One focused on waterfalls, one had glaciers and the nearby glacier lagoon, another took us to volcanic craters, lava fields and geothermal parks.

I did a whale watching cruise and saw a whale surface just a few metres from our boat; I completed an epic 4-hour glacier hike ( so glad I trained hard for this! ); I saw wild puffins in their natural cliffside habitat ( bonus stop not on the itinerary! ); I hiked to the top of a dormant volcano, and got up close to adorable Icelandic horses at a farm.

I also enjoyed the 24-hour bright skies ( no sunset while I was there ) and wide variety of weather - aside from day 1's crazy winds, there was transient hale, snow and rain. 

When we passed through the northern region, we were surrounded by endless vistas of snow. 

It was magical. :)

The Icelandic people were also very welcoming, and the food was consistently above average to excellent, though pricey.

Best of all, tourist numbers are still much smaller compared to other nations.

The southern part had the most people, while other regions were pretty much deserted.

Coming from noisy and overcrowded Singapore, that was like heaven to me.

It didn't hit me at the time, but on hindsight, I would say that Iceland is now #1 on the list of places I've been to so far ( #2 Paris, #3 New York City ).

Will I go back one day? Very likely, and only during summer. 

I won't survive anything below zero degrees for sure. 

Conclusion:

Go to Iceland at least once in your life.

If you're fit enough, do all the physically demanding stuff which will greatly enrich the experience.

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The second leg of the trip was spent in Paris, with 2 days in Normandy.

I first visited France in 2010 - did a panoramic tour and completely fell in love with it.

I returned to Paris in 2017, and it is still my favourite city ( from a tourist's perspective of course ).

Paris was an absolute must for me for this milestone birthday, and suffice to say, my week spent there was marvelous.

Much has changed since 2017 - I noticed a lot more security and barricades at major landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and Saint Chapelle.

Many places were also under construction - e.g. the Notre-Dame cathedral, where only the front facade was unobstructed.

This caused me great sadness because I remember back in 2010, I was able to take a leisurely 360-degree stroll around it to admire its incredible architecture.

But what struck me most were the horrendous crowds everywhere.

Compared to 8 years ago, the number of tourists has skyrocketed, though still tolerable compared to cities like Tokyo and Bangkok. ( Bangkok gave me nausea and headache. )

I'm glad that at least those in Paris have remained civil - no pushing / cutting queues / rudeness, even from the notorious PRCs.

The worst of it occurred at the Louvre, specifically in the room with the Mona Lisa.

I describe it as "controlled chaos" - I slowly oozed my way to the front, snapped a few quick photos then spent the rest of my time at other exhibits.

Overtourism has taken its toll on the Parisians, as evidenced by a strike by the Louvre's exhausted staff 2 days after my visit, and another by taxi drivers the day after my arrival.

( I feel immensely lucky to have escaped both. )

The government / authorities obviously aren't doing enough - no doubt because they're reaping billions from the influx - but it isn't just affecting the Parisians, but fellow tourists like me too.

One of the things I love most about travelling is interacting with the locals and soaking in their culture.

This is impossible when foreigners outnumber residents and entire cities become overcommercialized.

Normandy was similar, with small towns swarming with tour groups, and nothing but shops and restaurants in every direction.

I ended up shopping only at a bakery at Saint-Malo which sold unusual biscuits. Most of the other stores had almost identical souvenirs.

The 2-day tour had only 20 travellers, but everyone was very pleasant, and I especially enjoyed our overnight stay which included a group dinner.

I sat with a married couple from Brazil and a young ex-Marine from the U.S who was solo like me.

The former work at a company that manages Brazil's most popular YouTube pop culture channel, while the latter shared fascinating insights about how the U.S. military functions and its close relationship with Trump and the GOP.

Although the American didn't say outright that he's a Republican, based on his remarks, it was clear that he voted for Trump; and to his credit, he was very amused by our questions and comments about POTUS and his minions, giving us patient and diplomatic answers.

He was quite good-looking too, but sadly, we only spoke that one time and didn't exchange contact information. :)

Multiple friends have complained to me about their bad encounters in France.

While such incidents have been reported by many tourists, I personally have never had this problem.

In fact, the numerous wonderful and memorable interactions my mum and I had with the locals during our first trip in 2010 ( we went to lots of places outside Paris, including Nice, Provence, Avignon and Lyon ) were what made us love the French so much.

I remember an elderly Frenchman at a street market in Lyon who spoke minimal English and communicated with us through gestures.

He asked where we're from - when I said Singapore, he used his hands to draw the 3 towers of Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Upon recognizing the shape, I smiled and replied, "Casino!"

"Oui oui! Casino!" And the 3 of us laughed heartily.

Ahhh, j'aime la france! :)

Last but not least, I still find the French the most gorgeous people I've seen so far - another reason I keep going back haha.

But it isn't just good looks - they also possess what I call an old-world charm, especially in terms of manners.

As a solo traveller who took many long walks around Paris, I directly interacted with its residents on a regular basis ( these exclude shops, restaurants and hotels ).

At the Cimetière de Passy, I asked a handsome young Frenchman if he knew where Claude Debussy's grave is.

He didn't, but was delightfully apologetic about it, and wished me "good luck!" before we parted ways.

On another day, I spent time at the Seine, watching boats pass as I strolled along the bank.

Some of them had French schoolchildren on board, who waved and shouted "Bonjour!", and I gamely waved back.

At one of the public restrooms, I met a group of French schoolgirls ( aged around 9-10 ). I wasn't sure if they were queueing for the cubicles but they didn't understand English when I spoke to them. In the end, they giggled and politely moved to the side for me. 

Why can't kids in Singapore be like this??

Alas, it will be another 7-8 years before I return... sigh!

That's it for this entry.

Thanks for reading. :)

A Tribute To Film Composers

This entry is entirely inspired by my recent attendance of La La Land in Concert at the Esplanade Theatre 2 weeks ago, a performance which had the amazing Justin Hurwitz himself conducting the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra.

So thank you, Justin, for spurring me to write. :)

( More details about the show in the second half of this post. )

I've probably waxed lyrical about movie music intermittently on my blog, but not in a dedicated post, which is a pity because it's been such an integral part of my life.

My earliest memories of beautiful soundtracks are Superman, Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, all scored by the greatest film composer of all time, John Williams.

I wasn't even old enough to attend school yet and already knew the themes by heart.

My mum started me on piano lessons at around the same time, which cemented my love for music, but I also realized that my strongest affinity was for film soundtracks - classical and otherwise.

Over the years, she introduced me to musicals as well - Rodgers & Hammerstein, Gigi, and stars like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse.

I then discovered other film composers like John Barry ( Out of Africa, Dances With Wolves, Indecent Proposal ), Thomas Newman ( Scent of a Woman, American Beauty ), John Powell ( How To Train Your Dragon, the Jason Bourne series ), Hans Zimmer ( Gladiator, Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Inception ), Dario Marianelli ( Pride & Prejudice, Atonement ) and Alexandre Desplat ( The Painted Veil, Little Women ).

Let's not forget luminaries like Disney's Alan Menken, whose work on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Tangled still move me tremendously.

In my 20s and 30s, I contemplated attending overseas concerts featuring a few of my favourite composers ( John Williams was at the top of the list ), but somehow the stars didn't align.

Hans Zimmer was in Singapore for an F1 race-related concert in 2019, but I didn't go because the venue wasn't optimal.

So my next best option was to attend movie-themed local concerts, mostly by the SSO Pops, Orchestra of the Music Makers and Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, at the Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands.

The John Williams 90th Birthday Concert Gala at MBS in July 2022 was a major highlight.

I also recall attending 2 consecutive performances by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra at the Esplanade maybe 10-15 years ago ( I went for both nights because they had completely different repertoires ). They were spectacular. :)

The above preamble is meant to illustrate my lifelong and very deep love for movie music, to give you a better understanding of how the La La Land in Concert experience affected me.

I was blown away by the film in December 2016 - you can read my review here.

I was definitely excited about Justin's presence at the show, but the event itself far exceeded my expectations.

As I listened to the soaring melodies, watching the scenes on the big screen as Justin waved his baton, the reality of being able to share this with the actual composer sank in.

It was a combination of surreal and poignant, and the feeling was completely overwhelming because this was the culmination of decades of what I would describe as a great passion for this genre, though sadly from afar.

That night, when I was able to personally witness the music's creator leading an orchestra on stage, that distance finally dissipated, resulting in an unprecedented level of euphoria. 

Justin's impressive list of accomplishments ( 4 Oscar nominations with 2 wins, 4 Golden Globe wins, 5 Grammy nominations with 2 wins ) and the sweeping-romantic-musical style of La La Land ( a personal favourite ) also heightened the intensity of the experience.

Hopefully, this won't be the only such concert I ever attend ( event organizers, please step up and bring more film composers to Singapore ), but it has the distinction of being the first, and the way my memory works, this will be branded into my brain cells forever. :)

Last but not least, I reiterate my immeasurable gratitude to Justin for doing meet-and-greets after every performance.

Although these aren't unique to Singapore, M&G decisions are entirely up to each artist, and in my personal opinion, anyone this famous who consciously and diligently does them deserves a medal.

On the final night of the concert series ( 3 shows in total ), I can imagine how exhausted he must have been ( don't forget the jet lag ). The line stretched from the foyer to the basement ( I know 'cos I deliberately chose to be last in the queue ), and took at least 90 minutes to clear.

Being a mature adult who's met my fair share of celebrities in various moods, I didn't expect him to be chatty, so I did most of the talking while he listened patiently and responded intermittently. He looked fatigued but never stopped smiling, so a big thumbs up for that!

I'm glad I was able to commission a custom made poster for him, thanks to the 3 months' advance notice since my ticket automatically included an M&G. Hope he likes it. :)

4 years ago when the whole world was in lockdown mode, I replaced my old piano and curated a collection of film music scores to play. Recently, I added selected pieces from La La Land to the set. It's a pasttime that really elevates my happy chemicals. 

The Hurwitz Concerts company replied to my comment on Instagram, promising to bring their shows back to Singapore ( yes!! ). On my wish list - that Justin will return to conduct music from all his movies. That would be truly awesome. 

This post is long overdue and cathartic! Thanks for reading and please leave a comment. :)

The 2024 Rundown - Favourite Stage Shows

Here we go!

Starting with this list first since there's no event scheduled till 2025.

( p.s. all photos were taken by me )

#5: Taylor Swift - National Stadium, March 2024

I don't consider myself a Swiftie, but felt compelled to see her at least once in my life, and a 3-plus hour concert was the best time to do it.

Tay-Tay did not disappoint, displaying lots of energy and showmanship, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

Kudos to the fans as well, for their infectious enthusiasm and consideration for others.

The latter was most evident at the Stadium MRT station, where everyone obediently followed the ushers' instructions so we could enter safely.

#4: Trevor Noah - Star Theatre, June 2024

Didn't manage to take any photos for this one, but he was nothing short of incredible, performing 3 sell-out shows.

I last saw him in 2019 ( laughed till I cried ).

This time round, he was equally funny, though I didn't shed any tears haha.

One of the best parts of his shows is his keen observation of local culture.

He did this 5 years ago and stuck to the same formula, with terrific results.

I also enjoyed his jokes about Trump, but the highlight was the impromptu segment, where the audience lobbed random questions and received witty replies.

Watching him during my birthday week was a huge bonus!

Hope it won't take another 5 years for him to return.

#3: Ed Sheeran - National Stadium, February 2024

Thanks to a friend's amazing luck, I was in the 4th row - the closest I've ever been to Ed - and it completely altered the experience.

The previous time I watched him at the Indoor Stadium was already magical.

But this show gave me a high that lasted for weeks.

Compared to Taylor's performance which had lots of bells and whistles, Ed stayed his minimalist self, which I feel greatly enhanced the performance.

Together with his trusty looper machine, a 360-degree rotating stage and intermittent pyrotechnics, he had everyone under his spell.

#2: OneRepublic - The Padang, September 2024

Their F1 gig was a late announcement, and to be honest, I was initially hesitant about going 'cos my last Padang show was 7 years ago and I've reached that age where standing in a sweaty crowd for hours is no longer appealing.

But go I did, after finding a friend/colleague and fellow 1R fan to accompany me.

Compared to their 2017 F1 concert, this seemed more tame, or maybe the people around me just weren't as effusive.

The last 30 minutes, however, took a sharp turn when the skies opened up and a heavy downpour began.

While some started leaving, most - myself included - braved the rain and stayed on.

The sudden change in weather also had a major effect on Ryan Tedder, whose energy level spiked, causing him to jump off the stage and mingle with those nearby.

This photo is definitely one of my favourites this year, effectively conveying our euphoria. 

It was also a memorable first for me, i.e. the first time I watched an outdoor concert in the rain. I got thoroughly drenched, but doing this with OneRepublic was absolutely perfect. :)

#1: Take That - Star Theatre, October 2024

Why did this trio take the top spot, despite not being superstars and attracting fewer than 5000 fans?

I have a LONG history with these guys.

First, TT is my all-time favourite boy band.

Second, I'm still a fan, which makes it 32 years and counting ( their debut album came out in 1992 ).

Third, this was only the second time I managed to watch them on stage.

The first show was around 20 years ago at the Indoor Stadium.

They returned once or twice but I abstained 'cos I didn't like the venues.

This concert was a wonderful reunion for all of us.

The large number of Brits in the audience made a huge difference, as their energy and deafening screams got us locals revved up.

Everyone was on their feet from the first minute and the screams continued until the encore.

I was a little sad that Jason and Robbie were absent, but Gary, Howard and Mark more than made up for it.

They've aged beautifully - slim, full heads of thick hair, still boyish - and their physical fitness enabled them to reproduce dance moves from early uptempo hits like Pray and Relight My Fire.

I was in the 5th row with excellent close-up views. Unfortunately, I didn't muster the courage to go right up to the front to see if I could get a handshake or high-five.

I'm notoriously bad at remembering lyrics, but had zero problem recalling those for TT songs. Belting along with my idols was so cathartic!

The early '90s were a fabulous period of my life ( that and the entire '80s ).

Really hope they'll come back soon.

More rundowns to follow at a later date. Thanks for reading! 

Trying Again

As 2024 comes to a close, I realize it's been 3 years since my last blog entry.

There're a few reasons I haven't written for so long - fatigue being the main one, a combination of work and hormones.

Much has also happened since 2021.

The COVID pandemic finally ended, borders opened up and the world ( kind of ) returned to normal. I started travelling solo on a regular basis, and my social circle opened up tremendously because I no longer have caregiving duties.

A milestone birthday is coming up, which might be why I decided to revive this site.

Despite not being a fan of labels, I'm making an exception and calling 2025 "my year of celebration and adventure".

Already have an overseas trip to 2 countries booked - one that I'll be visiting for the first time and includes quite a bit of physical exertion, and another which I've been to before but love immensely, hence why I want to be there for this special occasion.

Am now contemplating a second trip in late 2025, also with an intense itinerary ( this is becoming one of my travel preferences haha ).

Anyway, another post will follow at the end of December, with a list of my favourite movies / series / books / concerts and other memorable events from 2024.

I hope my regular readers will return, and do post your comments to let me know your thoughts.

Till next time!

Review: Succession season 3

I've followed this series since its first season in 2018, but this is only my second blog post about it, despite its big Emmy wins last year for a spectacular season 2.

It just crossed the halfway mark for season 3, and I can safely say it's going to surpass Dexter as my favourite TV show.

That's how terrific it is.

Sadly, no one in my social circles watches it, but there's a great fan club on Facebook, and we have the best time dissecting each new episode and delving deep into past storylines.

For the uninitiated, Succession is about the fictional Roy family, which owns a business empire called Waystar/Royco.

Primarily a media industry player, it also runs cruises and parks.

The head of the family is Logan, who has four children - Connor, Kendall, Siobhan and Roman.

Connor is a slacker who spends his time and allowance on frivolous pursuits; Kendall and Roman help dad with the business; Siobhan spent seasons 1 and 2 running a U.S. Presidential candidate's campaign, before being recruited for the family business in season 3.

The main arc of the show is the power struggle between Logan and Kendall, as the latter tries repeatedly to wrestle control of the company from a man he views as out of touch, as well as physically and mentally frail.

But there're also lots of subplots, mostly involving sibling rivalry, scheming and law-breaking.

It's impossible for me go into specific details because every episode is so jam-packed with memorable and shocking events, it makes my head spin.

And season 3 is even more unbelievable, with episodes 3 and 5 destined for eternal greatness. 

I've already watched seasons 1 and 2 twice, and am currently rewatching all the current season's episodes just to make sure I don't miss anything.

One of its greatest attributes is the writing.

Aside from the numerous twists and turns in the story, Succession's trademark is its wit, or more accurately, its unapologetically vulgar and politically incorrect humour.

In the current climate of tiresome tip-toeing around everything like it's a ticking time bomb, it's a breath of fresh air to hear people saying what they really think, even if it's clearly offensive.

To have a better understanding of Succession's essence, I recommend this compilation of clips from the show. 

No surprise that my favourite comedy series of all time is Seinfeld, which also skewers political sensitivities with glee.

Another of the show's strengths is its characters.

The Roy family is what I call a paradox. 

Every single member is nasty and self-serving in his/her own way, but we still love them.

In one episode, Logan's brother says they're "a nest of vipers" who will "wrap themselves around you and suffocate you".

But in the FB fan group, there're different teams rooting for various characters. ( FYI, I'm Team Kendall. :))

Maintaining this fine balance for 3 seasons is no small feat, and major kudos to the writers for achieving something that most cannot.

The magic ingredient, of course, is weakness.

Even the most vile being in the universe has one, and the Roys are no exception.

All of them suffer from hubris, resulting in lack of insight, bad decisions and a variety of disasters.

But each sibling also demonstrates insecurity and fear at one point or another, and vies for Logan's attention and approval like it's The Hunger Games.

If the parent-child relationship isn't warped enough, season 3 has the siblings turning on one another, with an exceptionally brutal exchange between Kendall and Siobhan.

Last but not least, the cast.

I can't begin to describe how amazing all the actors are, but my favourites are Jeremy Strong and Matthew MacFadyen.

Jeremy plays Kendall, aka the son who's constantly locked in an epic battle with his terrifying father.

From the very first episode of season 1, I knew Jeremy was really special, and my instinct turned out to be 100% correct when he won the Emmy for best actor in a drama series last year.

Kendall is, in my opinion, the most complex character in the show - deeply flawed and occasionally deplorable, but somehow likable and worth rooting for. 

He has good intentions but often fails miserably in the execution phase. He wants to dethrone Logan and become CEO, but is so thin-skinned he hides in a dark room and wallows in despair when Siobhan issues a press statement about his drug habits.

He sometimes says or does the craziest, stupidest thing, then in the next moment, gives a brilliant speech at a congressional hearing and saves a vital business deal from imploding.

His relationship with Logan is nail-bitingly unstable, with the latter having the upper hand most of the time.

Many fans - myself included - hope Kendall will finally get what he wants this season.

Apologies for digressing.

I described Kendall in great detail to illustrate what a complex character he is, and how challenging it is to portray him.

It's a testament to Jeremy's immense talent that we're able to see and feel Kendall's emotional turmoil, and most importantly, become invested in his journey and fervently hope he succeeds.

Matthew plays a more peripheral character, i.e. Tom Wambsgans, Siobhan's fiance and later husband.

Tom isn't a nice guy at all, and naturally elicits a lot of negative comments on the fan group.

But this is exactly why he's worthy of special mention.

Even though Tom is technically a minor character, he's been given a disproportionately large number of unforgettable scenes and lines.

And Matthew pounces on every opportunity by hamming it up and burning every moment into our brains.

What's even more fun is the fact that Matthew's British and most well-known for his role as the dour, uptight Mr. Darcy in 2005's Pride & Prejudice.

I'm always amused by the stark contrast, and awed by his versatility.

Another fun fact about the cast is the freedom they're given to improvise the dialogue.

I found out about this in a few interviews, and it definitely adds more flavour to the viewing experience!

It really makes me wonder how many of the best lines were scripted versus off the cuff, and whether any of the latter changed the trajectory of the plot.

Succession season 4 was confirmed in late October, so we'll be seeing more of the Roys ( hopefully in late 2022 - please don't make us wait too long! ).

If you enjoyed this post, please watch the show!

Review: Midnight Mass

I've been trying to figure out how to write a proper review without including any spoiler, and my conclusion is that it's impossible. 

So if you haven't seen this yet, are planning to do so, and don't want to know the details beforehand, PLEASE STOP READING NOW. 

Mdinight Mass comes from Mike Flanagan, who helmed the excellent The Haunting of Hill House and the okay-only The Haunting of Bly Manor. 

That alone is a big clue regarding this series' genre and theme. 

The first episode started off very slowly, taking its time to introduce characters with nothing much else occurring. 

Episode 2 was equally leisurely, with only some excitement in the last 10 minutes, when a "miracle" takes place. 

Things start cooking from episode 3 onwards, and considering my high threshold for surprises, Flanagan did not disappoint. 

In a nutshell, an elderly priest from a small town takes a trip to the Middle East, gets lost, ends up in a cave and meets - I kid you not - a vampire. He gets bitten, the vamp feeds him its blood in return, the priest becomes young again, returns to the town and bring the vamp with him. 

The priest then uses the vampire blood during communion, resulting in a few "miracles" - e.g. a paralyzed girl gets up and walks, a sickly old lady becomes healthy again. 

Problems arise when the priest and a few religious fanatics decide to "bless" the entire town with immortality by feeding everyone a cocktail of poison and vampire blood, calling the creature an angel and carrying out mass murder during Easter to celebrate Christ's resurrection. 

Are you still with me? ;) 

It sound totally nuts when you read it, but kudos to Flanagan for being able to weave these ideas into something actually coherent and compelling. 

Factors contributing to this: 

1. Correct pacing 

I mentioned how slowly the story moves, which turns out to be advantageous. 

It helps to stage the shocking scenes further apart initially, before escalating in the last couple of episodes. There's a lot of dialogue in between the scary parts, most of which involve theological discussions / debates, which interest me greatly because I've been on both sides of religion ( former Christian turned atheist ). 

2. Great writing 

Compared to Flanagan's previous The Haunting... series, Midnight Mass definitely has the best script. And that's considering the very high bar set by Hill House. 

My most important advice to viewers is to be patient, and to pay close attention. The former because the story builds up gradually, the latter because every line of dialogue has significance. 

I was particularly drawn to the theological themes, which cover many Bible chapters and verses, with differing opinions from multiple characters. 

Some topics are perennial ( i.e. if God exists, why does he allow bad things to happen? Why doesn't he save the innocent? ), others new to me ( e.g. how to interpret Hebrews 9:14 correctly ). 

The Hebrews verse is especially interesting: "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" 

In the show, the characters use this to justify murder, the same way they call the vampire an angel, even though I'm sure they know it's evil and an abomination. 

What's also interesting is that the most devout of the Christians is the one who ends up twisting scripture to suit her own agenda. 

I found this the most significant element of the series, as it highlights the mentality of quite a large number of pious people ( in all religions, not just Christianity ). 

I was a devout Christian for about 15 years before I decided it wasn't for me. During that time, I encountered many church members whose beliefs and behaviour irritated, disgusted and shocked me.

For example, one woman claimed she resurrected a dead person, even though no one else witnessed the incident and she never brought this person to church to give a testimony. This same woman also convinced a young couple to refuse surgery for their child who had heart disease, telling them an operation was against God's will, that God would heal their child as long as they prayer fervently. The child died, and the couple left the church. No formal complaint or police report was ever filed. 

At another church, my cell group leader claimed sole credit when one of the members conceived after trying for many years, even though many of us prayed for her over a prolonged period of time. The CGL's exact comment was, "Oh, I prayed for her, that's why she got pregnant." 

So what are the rest of us - completely useless? 

There're many other examples of bad Christians but I won't write about them here. I think you get the general idea. That said, even though I've left the church and don't believe in the existence of any God, I have close friends from different religions, but they're not preachy or self-righteous. We even engage in healthy debates from time to time, so one's religious affiliation ( or lack of ) isn't a factor where friendship is concerned. Rather, it's your character. 

I've often been told that Christians are far from perfect, that I shouldn't judge the religion by its followers. My switch to atheism is multifactorial. Disillusion is a major component, but I think I've just never been fully invested, with a half-in half-out perspective of the Bible, which to this day doesn't really interest me that much. 

Apologies for the rant. Moving on... 

3. The cast ... is absolutely stellar. 

The biggest standout is Hamish Linklater, who plays the aforementioned priest. He isn't a very prominent actor but this role was made for him. 

He appears in many scenes, many of which are physically and emotionally demanding, and he nails every single one. 

Whether fervently preaching a sermon, orchestrating a miracle, quietly counselling a recovering alcoholic, or licking a dying man's blood off the floor ( I'm not kidding ) - he gives it everything he's got. 

I expect Golden Globe and Emmy nominations in 2022. Don't disappoint me please! 

There are of course plot holes here and there. 

Why is there only one vampire? Why is the transformation variable? ( You can become a vamp just by drinking its blood, but others turn after being killed by it first. Huh? ) How come the priest-vampire can handle the Bible, holy water, the crucifix and communion wafers? If the paralyzed girl and old lady became healthy after drinking vampire blood, why didn't they turn into full vampires? 

Another blemish is the final episode, in which the entire town is burned down, leaving only a church recreation centre for all the vampires to take refuge in after sunrise. So when one of the non-vamps torches the centre, everyone gets screwed. 

This was just plain stupid. 

Luckily it's at the end of the show, otherwise I might've stopped watching. 

So my final rating is 8/10. 

Worth watching, but quite out there so won't be to everyone's liking. 

Would be interesting to find out if Flanagan's Catholic / Christian / an atheist. Will find a few online articles to read when I have time.

Review: Dune

My first post since March 2020. 

The past 18 months have been hell, and I don't just mean COVID. 

The last movie I saw at the cineplex was Christopher Nolan's Tenet more than a year ago, and I didn't even have the time or energy to review that. 

After recent upgrades to Android TVs at home, I could've found Dune online, but chose to make the trip to the theatre so I could experience this the way it's supposed to be experienced - on a huge screen. 

I'm also a huge fan of Denis Villeneuve, Oscar Isaac and Timothee Chalamet, so I was more than happy to support their work. 

Verdict: I rate it an 8/10. 

Dune is 2.5 hours long. 

The first hour is awesome, the second hour's great, the last 30 minutes are rather draggy. 

First, the good parts. 

Villeneuve promised a visual spectacle, and he absolutely delivered. 

One notable shooting location is the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, where Lawrence Of Arabia and a few Star Wars movies were also filmed. 

I'm familiar with Villeneuve's work, from 2013's Prisoners and 2015's Sicario to 2016's Arrival and 2017's Blade Runner 2049. I saw similarities between Dune and Arrival in terms of scale and style, but of course Dune has a much larger cast and a lot more exposition to get through. 

As mentioned, the first hour is superb, as we're introduced to the main players and the story builds up to a mid-point twist. We're treated to scene after scene of breath-taking planetary vistas and jaw-droppingly massive spaceships, interspersed with intimate sequences involving various members of the Atreides clan. 

Hans Zimmer's score fits everything perfectly, evoking awe, excitement and dread in equal measure.

 

The main protagonists are well cast, but Timothee deserves special mention. 

I'm a big fan of his work - Lady Bird, Beautiful Boy, A Rainy Day In New York, The King and Little Women. 

He's always struck me as an old soul, which incidentally, is the exact description Villeneuve used in a recent interview. 

Casting him as Paul Atreides is spot on, though he's about a decade older than the actual character, who's only 15 in the novel. ( This isn't unusual, since Jennifer Lawrence was 21 when she played 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, and Dylan O'Brien was also 21 in the first Maze Runner movie ( his character, Thomas, was 16 in the book )).

Timothee's main advantage over other actors his age is his gravitas, which has served him well in dramatic roles. 

Dune, however, is a production of epic proportions, with a cast comprising many famous actors, a few of whom have been part of lucrative franchises as well ( e.g. Oscar Isaac - Star Wars, Rebecca Ferguson - Mission: Impossible, Jason Momoa - Aquaman ). 

I'm very pleased to report that Timothee is more than capable of holding his own, and is never dwarfed by anyone or anything, even the giant sandworm. 

He infuses all his scenes with quiet strength, occasionally shooting dagger stares at Paul's enemies. 

His main weakness is probably his relative lack of physicality, which is evident in the fight scenes. The way Villeneuve shot certain parts of these suggests Timothee had a stunt double, so a few of the impressive moves probably weren't performed by him. 

But the best part about watching any Timothee Chalamet film at the theatre is his face. From his teens to around 21 years old, he was charmingly boyish. These past couple of years, he has matured and now looks fully grown up. He's one of those lucky people whom the camera loves. With Dune's beautiful costumes, makeup and cinematography, it's impossible to look away every time he appears.

Now, the not so good parts.

If you haven't read Frank Herbert's novel, you'll have a very hard time following the story.

I got through about 100 pages before giving up, but thankfully, they were enough.

In addition to the large number of characters, there're a lot of complicated names to digest. 

E.g. Bene Gesserit, Sardaukar, Kwisatz Haderach.

The novel even has a lengthy appendix explaining these terms to the reader.

If this wasn't enough, there's the dodgy audio, which muffled some dialogue or drowned it out completely.

I had to read the Chinese subtitles to understand what was happening.

A few scenes were also very dark.

I expected the movie to condense many key events in the interest of time. 

One that's completely omitted is a welcome dinner after the Atreides arrive in Arrakis, during which the clan meets with diplomatic figures and everyone discusses politics.

A sequence involving Duke Leto's heroic rescue of a team from the spice harvester ( eventually swallowed by the sandworm ) is exciting, but pales in comparison to the book's description which, from what I can recall, took up almost 10 pages ( of tiny tiny font ), and concluded with high praise for Leto's leadership qualities.

( I don't remember Paul running out of the ornithopter and almost being left behind. Those of you who've read the novel, let me know if I'm wrong. )

There was also a section where Leto suspected Lady Jessica of being a traitor, which wasn't in the film.

The last half hour dragged as Paul and Jessica searched for the Fremen in the vast desert, before Paul defeated one of them and was accepted into the tribe. Perhaps Villeneuve wanted to illustrate the challenges they overcame, but I felt it could've been 10-15 minutes shorter.

I enjoyed Dune a lot, but encourage those who haven't read the book to do so, as it will add much more to the overall experience.

Although I got through only 100 pages on the first try ( Herbert's quite long-winded ), the movie convinced me to persist and finish the novel before Part 2 is released. 

I'm just glad these blockbusters are finally out after being delayed for a year.

My next trip to the cineplex will be for No Time To Die. Looking forward to it!

Reviews: Catch and Kill, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

The past couple of weeks have left me feeling down. Through a strange coincidence, I read Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill and watched Netflix's The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez during the same period.

Both cover very different crimes, yet illustrate similar systemic problems. And though the incidents occurred in the U.S., these issues can be found all over the world, in every part of society.

Farrow's book, which traces his investigation of Harvey Weinstein's sexual predation, isn't an easy read for various reasons.
At 400 pages, it's meticulously detailed and peppered with names of numerous people, making it difficult to track at times.
However, it also accurately reflects the huge obstacles Farrow faced and how much determination it took to keep going and make sure the victims were heard.

What struck me most was the extent of Weinstein's reach and how top executives at NBC chose to shut Farrow's work down despite knowing about the hard evidence he had. Fortunately, the press is much less easily intimidated, and Weinstein was eventually exposed by multiple newspapers.

Victims' accounts are scattered throughout the book and nothing short of harrowing. Weinstein's behaviour is despicable, but what really stand out are his overwhelming sense of entitlement and the sheer number of enablers around him who were no less complicit in the assaults.

There's a brief mention about famed news anchor Matt Lauer - also from NBC. One encounter with a junior staff member started with drinks at the hotel bar and an exchange of playful messages, before escalating quickly to rape and sodomy.
Men always claim that women were coming on to them, giving them all the right signals, etc. Let's be clear: when she tells you to stop and you don't, it's a crime.

I've also had my share of sexual harassment episodes.

The first one happened when I was 19 and working as a temp at a public hospital's specialist outpatient clinic. A young surgeon made a sexual reference while I was handling some medical equipment, flashing me a lewd grin. I'm surprised I managed to stay poker-faced even though we were completely alone in the room and he was standing right next to me.
This a-hole is now a head of department at the same hospital. Bleah.

The second occurred during a tutorial with a senior surgeon at another public hospital. This time, I was with my clinical group so there were 6 of us present. The surgeon made multiple off colour jokes about me, my fellow female CG mate and different body parts. We just sat there and endured the ordeal for an hour, and didn't even consider lodging a complaint with the department or hospital.
When we mentioned the incident to other people, they just laughed and replied, "Oh, he's known for being like that."
Sound familiar?

The third incident occurred at my former department, where a senior ( and married ) colleague sent me flirtatious SMSes with inappropriate content like an invitation to have coffee and the remark "Anything for you". He even had the cheek to tell me his wife blew up when she saw the messages in his phone and threatened to come to the office to confront me.
First of all, I can't believe how dumb his wife is to not see who's actually at fault here. Second, my standards are too high for me to have any interest in him. Third, I have principles and married men are completely off limits.
So glad I don't have to interact with him anymore, yuck.

There've been many other examples but those occurred outside the workplace. Suffice to say, I deeply sympathize with all women who've been the subject of unwanted attention, especially if molest or rape was involved. Too many times, such crimes go unreported or aren't pursued fully because victims fear repercussions and public scrutiny, or worse, because those in charge turn a blind eye.

There used to be a culture of tolerance towards such behaviour at our local tertiary institutions, until one brave soul chose to reveal her identity and speak up against it. I applaud you, Monica Baey!

Moving on to The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, an excellent documentary series that covers the murder of an 8-year-old boy, and the preceding abuse that was left unchecked by multiple agencies including social services and the police.

It highlights many deep-seated problems ranging from dysfunctional families in the low socio-economic class and social workers' unmanageable case loads, to falsifying records and law enforcement's inertia.
As rightly pointed out, there were many opportunities to intervene and save Gabriel, but he kept falling through the cracks in the system.

The descriptions of the abuse he suffered are heartbreaking. Examples include teeth that were knocked out when his mother hit his mouth with a baseball bat; severe bruising of the face with conjunctival haemorrhages ( bleeding in the sclera of the eyes ); being handcuffed, gagged and locked in a small cupboard with no food or toilet access; being forced to eat cat faeces and litter.

It's unfathomable how anyone can even treat an animal this way, never mind a child. This is pure evil at work.
( Remember the recent case in Singapore where a 5-year-old boy also died after being severely abused? Read the details here.
If you hate your child so much, isn't it better to give him/her to a relative, or just put him/her up for adoption? )

Following public outcry, politicians and agency leaders moved to improve the social services network. However, only 2 weeks later, a 10-year-old boy died under similar circumstances, and an investigation found that the mandated changes were never carried out.

Although this series is primarily about child abuse, the issues it highlights can be applied in any setting, including healthcare.
I've lost count of the number of times other colleagues - including those much more senior than I am - endangered patients by taking shortcuts, not reviewing cases thoroughly or being just plain incompetent. What's worse is how those at the top routinely pretend such things don't exist and allow them to continue, penalizing those who dare to speak up.

As the saying goes: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.


Here endeth my rant. Till next time...

Review - Narcos: Mexico season 2

4 years into what I consider Netflix's crown jewel ( and my favourite series on the streaming service ), and it still kicks ass big time.

This time round, however, Scoot McNairy plays one of the lead characters instead of just doing the voiceover ( for season 1 ).
As DEA agent, Walt Breslin, he gets to finally flaunt his masculinity, from running a covert mission to capture and punish those responsible for a fellow agent's painful death, to engaging in bloody gunfights with the cartels.
I know him mainly from smaller roles in acclaimed films and TV shows like True Detective S3, Fargo S3 and Argo.
But he really caught my attention as Sheriff Bill McNue in Netflix's other crown jewel, Godless ( my second favourite series ), where he effortlessly transitioned from a sad, fearful lawman battling a personal crisis to a confident, ferocious fighter in the exhilarating finale.

His presence in Narcos is a major draw for me, the same way Paul Giamatti makes Billions so enjoyable.
He commands every scene and communicates so much with minimal or no dialogue and a stare.
But when he wields an assault weapon - that's when he's really in his element. The action scenes in Narcos have always been top notch. I have never been disappointed.


The other lead actor, Diego Luna, is equally terrific. He's come a long way from his boyish, scrawny days on Dirty Dancing 2!
As drug lord Felix Gallardo, he exudes quiet menace belying his benign appearance, and is completely believable as a cold-hearted cartel boss capable of the most horrific acts in the name of revenge.

Narcos has never received any award nomination, with critics and fans citing its unsavoury subject as the reason for the snubs.
This is a great injustice, considering its combination of exceptional actors, directors and writers.

As Luna mentioned in his interviews, the Narcos story deserves to be told. It isn't just about cartels and law enforcement agencies - the corruption extends all the way to the highest levels of government, with presidents colluding to conceal the truth from the public, cutting shady deals and lining their pockets.

If you have even half a brain, you should know that this sort of thing happens everywhere. We mere mortals mean nothing in the big picture, and lives will continue to be lost as long as those in power refuse to do the right thing.


Continuing with the same theme, I'm now reading Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill, which chronicles his investigation of Harvey Weinstein's predatory crimes on women.
This morning, I read in the paper that the jury involved in his trial may be hung on the most serious criminal charge.
Considering his connections to many powerful people - including the Clintons - who knows if jury tampering occurred?
If he gets acquitted or only a slap on the wrist, you'll know why.

More next time.

Movie Reviews - 1917 and Little Women

It's been a little dry movie-wise these past few years, but things seem to be turning around in 2020.
It's only January and I've already seen 2 incredible films, both of which are up for lots of Oscars, including Best Picture.

First is 1917, directed by Sam Mendes.

I've been a huge fan of Mendes' work since American Beauty. And although most know him from Skyfall and Spectre, my favourites are his Bridge Project plays, specifically his glorious interpretation of Richard III starring Kevin Spacey.
He turned an extremely dry tale into something exhilarating, thanks to his knack for staging visually spectacular scenes, interpreting source material in an imaginative way, and drawing breath-taking performances from the cast.

He replicates this in 1917 - a jaw-dropping piece that combines technical prowess and unbelievable cinematography. The acting is more muted, of course, considering there're only 2 protagonists ( reduced to 1 before the halfway mark ) with minimal dialogue. Nevertheless, it is riveting and gut-wrenching, with lots of imagery that will stick in your memory forever.

A few segments which stood out: the German plane that crashed into an abandoned farm, the massacre in the trenches, and the finale with thousands of soldiers charging onto the battlefield.

And did anyone notice the significance of the milk Schofield collected from the cow at the farm?
Answer: it came in handy later on when he encountered the French girl caring for an abandoned baby.
I'm a fan of "aha!" moments so I liked that a lot.

I also have to say the entire experience reminded me of a video game. Definitely not meant as a criticism. I happen to love video games and used to play them when I was a kid / teenager. :)

Little Women is the complete opposite of 1917, but no less exquisite.

With a sizeable main cast, endless dialogue and scenes set in intimate settings, I found it extremely enjoyable.

I especially love how director and screenwriter Greta Gerwig adapted it for the big screen. Instead of filming everything in chronological order, she jumped between timelines and storylines repeatedly ( reminds me of The English Patient ).
While some may find this jarring, I thought it was a very creative way of juxtaposing each character's development at various points in their lives, especially the relationships involving Jo, Amy and Laurie.

Saoirse Ronan, who first impressed me in Atonement when she was only 12 years old, has always been what I call an old soul. She almost stole the movie from James McAvoy and Keira Knightley back in 2007, so it's no surprise that she now consistently headlines big productions which go on to win tonnes of accolades.

Her portrayal of Jo is so natural, beautiful and pure, infused with a strong will, a kind heart and high spirits. I found myself literally falling in love with her.

Florence Pugh is equally enchanting. Another actress I've been watching since her early work ( Lady Macbeth ), her Amy is fiery and stubborn, but eventually matures and wins the heart of the man she loves.

Last but not least is Timothee Chalamet, whom I've kept an eye on since 2017's Lady Bird and 2018's Call Me By Your Name.
Casting him as Laurie is absolute genius! He is so perfect in this role, I don't think anyone will ever be able to surpass it. ( Christian Bale doesn't even come close. )
Tim appears in many scenes but is never the same in each one. He shares wonderful chemistry with both Saoirse and Florence, and that pivotal moment when Laurie professes his love for Jo is a masterclass in acting.

Plus, he suits Victorian era attire very very well indeed! Much credit goes to costume designer Jacqueline Durran ( Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, Anna Karenina, Beauty and the Beast, and also 1917! ) for creating such gorgeous outfits for the actors. I'm sure millions of girls are now swooning over Tim. :)

Special mention to Alexandre Desplat, who scored the movie. His previous credits include The King's Speech, The Shape Of Water, The Danish Girl, Unbroken and ( my personal favourite ) The Painted Veil. His music features prominently throughout Little Women, and prompted even my mother to comment how "beautiful" the soundtrack is.

Well-deserved Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Music Score and Best Costume Design!

Gerwig also earned one for Best Adapted Screenplay, but was glaringly and wrongly left out of the Best Director category. Boo...

I was initially rooting for 1917 to win Best Picture - which it will - but think Little Women is more worthy. Like the year Forrest Gump won, when it should've been The Shawshank Redemption.

You should watch both films and decide for yourself. I, for one, would like to say a big thank you to Gerwig for her outstanding interpretation of this timeless classic, which made me smile and cry for 2 hours, and also rekindled my interest in playing the piano again.

Good luck to everyone at the Oscars! ( But not The Irishman, which I didn't like. )
Next on my watch list: Marriage Story, The Two Popes and Joker.

Highlights from 2019

The year is ending yet again.
And despite planning to blog on a regular basis, I haven't posted anything since April haha.

Commitments at work have escalated significantly, though I enjoy them very much. The culture at my hospital is a far cry from what goes on in the public sector, and I personally feel that super-sized institutions are detrimental to patient and staff welfare.
Even if you have the newest gadgets, technology, etc., what still matters is doing basic things well. Recruit good people, train them properly, and make every effort to retain the best ones.

A colleague from my former department joined us a few months ago and I'm really glad to see her jumping right in. She received the promotion she greatly deserved, and it's always reassuring to have her on shift. :)


One thing that really stood out in 2019 was the huge number of live shows I attended ( about 10 of them ).
From Josh Groban to Jason Mraz and Trevor Noah, the spectrum was vast and I burned a big hole in my pocket.


My top 3 are:

#3 - Westlife
Their 20th anniversary tour saw them filling the National Stadium for a 2-hour extravaganza.
I still remember the lyrics to their greatest hits and belted along with my fellow fans.
The guys have remained trim and fit with full heads of hair! And they were deeply appreciative of our support, putting on a wonderful concert that surpassed all the previous gigs I'd attended.

#2 - Shawn Mendes
It was my first time seeing him ( passed on his first show at the Star Theatre a couple of years back because I found him too immature for my taste ) and he effectively blew my mind into another universe. :D
Only 21 years old but already a master at commanding the stage and driving a crowd of 10,000 wild, without the need for backup dancers, suggestive moves, pyrotechnics or skimpy outfits.
I'm extremely grateful for the mid-show segment where he moved to a smaller stage near the back of the venue, and decided to face my section during what I consider the most incredible part of the concert - a sizzling hot acoustic version of Ruin.
I always feel guilty when I swoon over someone who's so much younger than I am, but at that moment, my ovaries exploded lol!
Bravo, Shawn! I now completely understand why you're so successful and am a new fan. Hope you'll be back soon for another show.

#1 - John Mayer
I already posted a lengthy blog entry 8 months ago so I'll keep this brief.
He came, he saw, he conquered!
One of the most magnificent musicians in existence, capable of hypnotizing 10,000 people with his sheer artistry on the guitar.
Super gorgeous, and keeps looking better with age.
Please come back asap!


Others worth mentioning:

Josh Groban - his very first show here, 18 years after his first album was released.
He sang flawlessly and I was very lucky to snag 4th row tickets, though I felt the prices were a bit too steep.

Maroon 5 - let down by a horrible venue, i.e. the National Stadium, mainly because the standing section was way too big, and everyone who was seated was miles away and hardly saw anything. The acoustics were also awful, and Adam Levine wasn't in top form.

Jason Mraz - my favourite musician disappointed me for the first time after 6 gigs ( this being the 7th ). The Star Theatre has terrific acoustics and the venue is just right for his type of show. I was in the 2nd row but there was clearly something lacking that night.
He's previously expressed some loss of inspiration and doubts about his future in the industry, but I really hope he'll find his mojo again and return to the glory days of I'm Yours, Mr. Curiosity and Absolutely Zero.
It's our job as fans to keep him going. Let's keep him motivated!

Backstreet Boys - another first despite knowing most of their songs when I was a teenager. I remember avoiding their concerts because I heard them singing off key at a number of televised awards shows, but that night at the Indoor Stadium, they were 100% perfect.
It was 2 hours of pure heaven, and the audience was awesome!
I'm loving all these boyband reunion tours. Someone please bring NKOTB to Singapore!


I haven't booked tickets for any big shows in 2020 yet, but I hope Michael Buble and The Script will return.


President Barack Obama

He deserves a separate section all for himself. :)
Mum and I attended The Growth Faculty's inaugural event in Singapore, with no regrets about paying the high ticket price.
It was surreal to be in the same venue as Obama, and I was surprised when my eyes teared up during an introductory video which played before he came on stage, as I thought about the abominable Donald Trump and how he's messed so many things up these past 3 years.

Obama spent 75 minutes answering great questions from host Nicholas Fang. I think the latter used to be an entertainment reporter for the Straits Times' Life! section, and I remember criticizing one of his concert reviews ( Westlife? ), and him emailing me back with equally sarcastic comments. Well, kudos to him for moving on to something much better. :D

Fang conducted a terrific interview. So terrific, in fact, that a few of Obama's remarks were picked up by international news agencies like the BBC, and even quoted at a recent Democratic Party presidential debate.
What a privilege it was to be at this momentous event and to hear Obama's words in person! Definitely one of the best moments of our lives.



Travel-wise, mum and I visited Central Europe and Hokkaido / Asahikawa.

Europe was a real eye-opener, covering Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw.
This was the focal point of Hitler's domination, where millions of Jews were imprisoned and exterminated.
It was very sobering to see remnants of the Nazi movement everywhere we went. And when we chanced upon a Holocaust memorial - i.e. the Shoes on the Danube Bank - during a long walk around Budapest, we were moved to tears as we stood in silence, imagining the horror of mass executions at that location.
Visits to the Auschwitz and Birkenau death camps were the highlights of the trip, but the crowds were massive and there was almost no time to linger at the exhibits. The noisy tourists - especially those from China - also ruined the atmosphere with their loud chattering and inappropriate laughter.
A major sore point was seeing Chinese tourists pose for photos on the railway track at Birkenau as they laughed and flashed victory signs.
This was where the trains deposited Jews and sealed their fates. It took a lot of self-restraint to stop myself from scolding those idiots.

Hokkaido was much more pleasant, timed during the summer for us to enjoy the flower season.
I did some research and decided to stay in Asahikawa instead of the more popular Sapporo, to reduce our driving time by an hour each way.
I also hired a private guide, who turned out to be a Russian lady who's lived in Hokkaido for some time.
It didn't matter at all that she wasn't a native Japanese. She knew all the great places to visit and took very good care of us.
Hokkaido is huge with something for everyone. We're not fans of winter but I fully intend to return in spring or autumn one day!
If you're ever in that area, make sure you see the sunflowers in Hokuryu! More than a million blossoms cover a gigantic field, with a little market nearby that sells - I kid you not - sunflower ice-cream!
It's my favourite flower so this was definitely a bucket list item. :)


I've got a couple of trips lined up in 2020. More on those next year.


Now, we move on to TV and movies. :)


Favourite film - Avengers: Endgame

Others worth mentioning - Midsommar, It: Chapter Two, Midway, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Note: These are just the ones that I saw. I'm sure there're movies I didn't watch that are better, e.g. Joker.


Favourite TV show - Succession season 2

A close second - Chernobyl, The Crown season 3, Big Little Lies season 2

If you haven't tried Succession yet, I strongly encourage you to start now.
It reminds me of the film Knives Out ( which is getting lots of award nominations ) but with way more venom and drawn out over 2 whole seasons.
Nothing amuses me more than dysfunctional families, especially those with fame, wealth and power. For me, it's one of the universe's ingenious ways of being fair - i.e. if you have an advantage over others in certain aspects, you have to lose out in other ways.
The writing and directing are phenomenal, but the cast is the glue of the production.
It's been a while since I loved a TV show ensemble this much ( I think the most recent example is Godless ). Jeremy Strong is by far the most impressive of the lot, with a perpetual hangdog face belying a slow simmering thirst for vengeance.
The climax of season 2 was epic and my jaw hit the floor.

The Witcher has received a lot of hype, and while the first few episodes were superb ( particularly episode 3, where Geralt's all-night battle with the striga made my knuckles turn white ), it started to lose steam towards the end of the season, with the finale fizzling out.
But I watch mainly for Henry Cavill. Those shirtless scenes are so satisfying. :D


Favourite book: A Warning by Anonymous

Very well written and thought-provoking yet supremely entertaining.
I'm extremely curious about the author's identity.


A close second - Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

Fast-paced, fascinating and educational. He's an exceptional writer.


As for music, my favourite album this year is, without a doubt, At Last by Luke Evans.
Yes, that Luke Evans, from The Raven, The Three Musketeers, Dracula Untold, Beauty and the Beast and The Alienist.
The songs are all covers, but the musical arrangements are wonderful and Luke's vocals are spectacular.
Standout tracks include The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, At Last and Show Me Heaven.
But the most incredible number is Bring Him Home from Les Miserables. I've heard many versions of it over the years, but Luke's interpretation takes my breath away and makes me reach for the tissues.

Now I wonder if he'll do a Broadway musical at some point in the near future. If he does, I will try my best to attend a performance and meet him at the stage door!


To end off the year, I'd like to also mention that I've decided not to be a Christian anymore.
I was one for 16 years, but recently, a lot of people have disappointed me deeply, and I realize that religion in general no longer fulfills me in any meaningful way.
I'm not criticizing anyone's beliefs. But I'm done pondering the intangible and want to focus my attention on other things.

My personal motto is: be a good person because it's the right thing to do, not because you want to go to heaven or earn blessings or avoid punishment. Being good with a motive is hypocritical.

If anyone wants my bible and other books about Christianity, let me know 'cos they're collecting dust.


That's it for 2019! Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a healthy and happy 2020! :)