Joe Millionaire's Heartwarming Finale

Who would've thought that this could be possible, with all the backstabbing and cash-motivated flirting / making out going on? Turns out Evan picked nice girl Zora, aka the only woman who refused to hanky-panky with him, and even more surprising, she accepted him despite the fact that he wasn't a millionaire.
It was indeed extremely unexpected, and when the couple was presented with a US$1 million cheque, it was the icing on the cake.
Sadly, reports on the Net indicate that they broke up soon after the show ended. Evan said they couldn't continue after being thrust into the spotlight and suffering immense strain, while Zora couldn't stand his thirst for fame. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Andrea's Secrets Revealed

Tsk, tsk. Seems Ms De Cruz has been keeping things from the public. Testimony from Chen Liping regarding Andrea's "friendship" with her husband, Rayson Tan, reveals that the former used to send him SMSs frequently, to share her relationship problems and discuss her salary ( which she doesn't even tell her closest pals ). What are we to make of the fact that Andrea, a young single woman with a boyfriend ( at the time ), messages a married man to talk about her deepest darkest secrets?
Reminds me of a female doctor a few years my senior, who was getting married, and brought a senior doctor ( a swinging bachelor at the time ), instead of her future husband, with her to try on wedding gowns. Seems their "friendship" was a lot more than just that, as she subsequently annulled her marriage just a few weeks after the ROM, proceeded to date this other guy, then wed him about a year later. Some members of the human race never fail to shock me.
Also notice how Liping and Rayson have fellow actors and actresses speaking up on their behalf. Don't see much support for Andrea. Speaks volumes, no?

Angry Young Men

Thursday is AYM Day, it seems. Saw a string of young fellows who sustained fractures of the metacarpals after bashing their fists against a wall. When I asked the umpteenth one why he did such a thing ( I refrained from using the word "moronic" ), he just laughed sheepishly. What they need is an M+R without any form of anaesthesia. Guaranteed to stop them from repeating this act ever again.

2 more hours to go before the shift ends. It's the last episode of "The Bachelorette" tonight, and although I know who got picked in the end, I'd like to see Charlie's face when he's told he didn't make the cut. He's a nice enough guy, but a little full of himself -- he once said he's pretty sure he'll be chosen, probably 'cos rival bachelor Ryan can't compare in terms of salary or charm, being more on the introverted side. My personal favourite has always been Ryan, however. Never knew someone that sweet even existed. His deep affection for Trista is absolutely amazing, and he'll definitely make an excellent husband. They're already making plans to get married later this year, so obviously it's working out. A happy ending at last. :)

Shall end off with short reviews of some VCDs I recently rented. They're mostly terrible, save for one or two. Thank goodness for the fast forward button.

Gangs Of New York -- Dullsville. Maybe it's just me, but all those rave reviews went right over my head. Everyone looks awful, and I stopped the show after just 20 minutes.

Amistad -- I borrowed this 'cos I didn't get to see it when it was first released eons ago. Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anthony Hopkins, I just couldn't resist. But again, it was sorely disappointing, and has got to be one of the slowest-moving films ever made. Icky.

Adaptation -- Won tonnes of awards and got even more nominations, but I couldn't understand most of it, and couldn't wait for it to end. The only person worth watching was Chris Cooper, who played a fanatical orchid hunter. John Cusack also made a cameo appearance -- the only few seconds I was fully alert.

Life As A House -- One of those tearjerkers where a rebellious teenager comes to terms with some serious issues and bonds with an estranged parent. Nothing very original here, but Kevin Kline, who always manages to inject class into a movie, holds this up with a nicely understated yet poignant performance. Kristin Scott Thomas, the luminous "English rose" from "The English Patient" is reduced to playing the long-suffering ex-wife ( she needs to make better career choices, judging from "The Horse Whisperer" and who knows what else I haven't seen ). But Hayden Christensen, best known as Anakin Skywalker in "The Phantom Menace", does an admirable job as an angry young man who slowly transforms into ( is it possible? ) a good boy, and even ends up loving his dad. There're also some sexual shenanigans going on between him and a sexually liberated neighbour's equally daring daughter, not to mention the aforementioned neighbour's trysts with her own daughter's boyfriend. I thought those subplots were a little unnecessary, though they made the show a little more interesting. :)

Tears Of The Sun -- An over-dramatic film that tries too hard and comes off cheesy instead. Bruce Willis, who gained my respect with his wonderful performances in "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable", plays the strong male protagonist with a heart of gold yet again, this time in the form of a NAVY SEALS commander ordered to enter the African jungle and evacuate a female doctor played by Monica Bellucci. There's a lot of action, mostly in the form of mass slaughters, and the Americans are invariably portrayed as knights in shining armour, and the Nigerians, what else? savages with no qualms about decapitating or raping their prisoners. Got on my nerves after a while. And who knows why Bellucci was cast? I don't think she can act very well, though you have to give her points for throwing excellent tantrums ( a result of her Italian genes, perhaps ). Predictably, she and Willis' character grudgingly develop mutual respect, and the climactic scene shows her cradling his battered head in her ample bosom. Really reminds me of Chinese movies.

The Recruit -- Glossy and fast-paced, with loads of star power in the forms of Al Pacino, Colin Farrell and sex kitten Bridget Moynahan ( who also appeared in "Coyote Ugly" and "The Sum Of All Fears" ). Putting Farrell and Moynahan together is a stroke of genius, and the 2 of them generate lots of heat in all their intimate scenes. Add some cool footage of CIA agent wannabes going through gruelling training at Langley, plus espionage with double- and triple-crossing chess moves, and it's gonna be tough not to like the show at least a little bit. Still, I thought the plot could've benefited from more solid writing. The ending, especially, was too simple.

Spy Game -- The only film worth watching in this disastrous set! Granted, my interest in it was mostly directed at leads Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, but director Tony Scott does a fantastic job of injecting lots of style and excitement, making this a super thriller in the tradition of "Enemy Of The State". I shall not reveal the storyline in case it mars your enjoyment, but I was riveted from beginning to end. Plus, Pitt looks gorgeous. :D

That's it for today. Just saw yet another ankle fracture -- add that to the Angry Young Men trend for Thursday.