Adios, 2012!

As the year draws to a close - and I still have a pulse despite all the doomsday predictions - it is time to do my annual review of the past 12 months, as I look forward to 2013.

It's been a good one for sure, though not as spectacular as 2011, which featured once-in-a-lifetime experiences with Kevin Spacey and David Foster, as well as a spectacular week of Broadway shows.

Still, 2012 was equally exciting in many ways, and here's a summary of the highlights:

Without a doubt, the best thing that happened to me this year is Jersey Boys! If you haven't bought tickets yet, PLEASE don't delay any further. This South African production is top-notch, with many who've seen the Broadway version reporting that they're equally impressed by this cast.

If you need another nudge, how about the fact that the 4 leads are unbelievably nice chaps? I've got an interview lined up, so keep your eyes peeled. :)

A close second is Pangdemonium's Spring Awakening, which I reviewed in February. It's bloody brilliant!

In third place, God Of Carnage.

Kudos in particular to Adrian Pang, whose production company staged Spring, and who also starred in GOC. I'm a huge fan. :)


The concert scene was jam-packed this year, and I was ecstatic when the opportunity to catch 2 of my favourite musicians came up. However, both gigs failed to live up to expectations.

Jason Mraz sang flawlessly at The Meadow, but an emotional connection with the audience was sorely missing. I don't know what the underlying reasons may be, but it came nowhere close to his power-packed 2009 performance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and is way below his mind-blowing Singapore debut at the Esplanade in 2006.

I'm always grateful when he returns to our shores, but if the organizers stick him at The Meadow again next time, I'm going to have to give it a miss. So let's hope that doesn't happen!

Sting's Indoor Stadium concert on 13 December fared no better, personally speaking. Again, I am a long-time fan of his music, and had seen him twice previously, but that night, the audience was absolutely intolerable! I won't go into specifics, but in a nutshell, it was a nightmare.

Sting's vocals were impeccable, as always, and his band was super-slick. Sadly, the repertoire was a rehash of old hits, without much variation from his studio recordings or prior live renditions.

The emotional tone was also lacking, resulting in a conveyor belt-like feel to the proceedings. There's no question about his technical prowess and amazing stamina ( 22 songs in a row, no intermission! ), but I was really hoping for an acoustic set, as suggested by the tagline "Back To Bass".

David Foster's show was much more enjoyable in terms of audience behaviour and artistic performance. I had a such a great time! His annual birthday celebrations and gigs in Singapore have become a tradition, and I fervently hope he will bring either Josh Groban, Chris Mann or Clay Aiken in 2013.

No luck with formal meet and greets 3 years in a row. I hope to change that soon. :)

And speaking of Chris Mann, he is my favourite new artist for 2012! Loved him on The Voice season 2, and downloaded digital versions of his new albums the minute they became available.

By the way, he has 2 releases, not one. He may have come in 4th, but he is clearly doing extremely well. Congratulations, Chris, you deserve it!

I've listened to Roads, and am now moving on to Home For Christmas. Both are overflowing with beautiful tracks, mostly covers, but interpreted in the most inspiring ways, with that all-important ingredient - Chris' gorgeous voice.

I can't quite describe how wonderful he is, only that every note he sings puts a huge smile on my face. I can listen to this man forever. :)


2012 was also a fantastic year for movies. I've lost count of just how many there were, but my personal top 3 are Life Of Pi, The Hobbit and The Bourne Legacy.

p.s. I love Skyfall, but Jeremy Renner is hotter than Daniel Craig. It's true. :)

Click on the individual titles to read my film reviews.

Les Miserables may very well displace one of them. Am looking forward to watching it at the cineplex!


Next, TV shows.

Hands down, Suits is the champion. Granted, season 1 was only screened in Singapore in May, a year after it debuted in the U.S. But it... is... AWESOME. :D

So awesome I couldn't wait for season 2 on local cable ( which probably won't screen it till 2013 ). Thank God for the Internet!

Other worthy contenders: The Voice season 3, The Good Wife season 4, Hawaii 5-0 season 2 and American Horror Story Asylum.

My all-time favourite, Dexter, has lost its way a little with season 7, but remains in the top spot until the story finally concludes in season 8. The cliffhanger finale opted for emotional heft rather than shock tactics, and still almost gave me a heart attack.

Next year, please let Dexter find happiness at last. I won't be happy if he dies...!

True Blood season 5 was wacky as hell, but the cast has never been stronger, nor the chemistry more scorching. It also doesn't help that I had an odd but pleasant dream about Alexander Skarsgard a few nights ago. Can I have another? :)


Rising stars on the horizon: Joseph Gordon-Levitt ( robbed of an Oscar nomination for 50/50, and rumoured to be the next Batman, hmmm ), Richard Armitage ( glorious as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit ), Rick Hoffman in Suits, and Suraj Sharma in Life Of Pi.


Other events worth mentioning: a trip to breath-taking Switzerland; another to fabulous Japan; my cool new car ( I don't talk about it much, but 4 words are good enough :)); meeting the casts of Jersey Boys and Swimming With Sharks!


Things to look forward to in 2013: a couple more trips overseas; finally enrolling in an ultrasound course I waited more than a year for; hopefully, more great concerts and theatre experiences, maybe celeb meet and greets? :D

I've had a blast; hope you enjoyed 2012 as well.

( Am so glad the world didn't end. Not a fan of doomsday prophecies!)

My next entry may be in January. Thanks for reading, and click on this to see and hear something amazing. :)

Life Of Pi - A Film Review

Many years ago, I read Yann Martel's award-winning novel and (gasp!) did not like it.

My feelings about this ranged from guilt and self-doubt to pure confusion. Over time, my impression of the story faded to a mere wisp of a memory.

When news about Lee Ang's movie adaptation surfaced, my first reaction was "Why?", followed by "How?", because the one thing I did remember about Life Of Pi was that it's impossible to translate to the big screen.

So why did I make it my mission to see it at the cineplex?

One: the AWESOME, jaw-dropping trailer, which was shown before a recent screening of Skyfall. There's this short segment with a killer whale leaping over Pi's boat, shimmering against the night sky, suspended in mid-air for what seems like an eternity.
I don't recall such a scene in the book. What page is it on?!

Two: Lee Ang. ( Yes, I believe in addressing him by his correct name rather than the reverse version favoured by Westerners. )
I've been a fan of his work for 20 years now, having watched his early films - The Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman - before moving on to Sense And Sensibility; The Ice Storm; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Hulk, and Brokeback Mountain.
His track record has been spotty at times, but no-one can deny his immense versatility. If anybody could tackle Life Of Pi, it would be him.

The final result: an ASTOUNDING masterpiece filled with humour, poignance and imagery so stunning it brought tears to my eyes.

And get this - my mother, who dozed off during Skyfall ( Skyfall for pete's sake! ) was wide awake for the entire duration of Life Of Pi. She absolutely LOVED the movie. :)

There're numerous interpretations of the real meaning(s) behind this unconventional tale, and every viewer is entitled to his/her own opinions.

Philosophy isn't my strong point, but attempts at analyzing my overwhelmingly positive response to the film suggest an affinity with its religious themes.

I suspect that if I'd seen this more than 10 years ago, I wouldn't have been the slightest bit moved. Amused and entertained perhaps, but ultimately incapable of identifying with the main characters' turmoil.

And yes, there're 2 protagonists here, one of whom has no dialogue but is nevertheless larger than life. Pi may be the focus of everyone's attention, but Richard Parker, the magnificent Bengal tiger, is brought to vivid life through amazing computer-generated effects, and worthy of his own Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Rendered beautifully by Bill Westenhofer ( already an Oscar winner for The Golden Compass, and who also worked on The Chronicles Of Narnia ) and his fantastic team, RP is - for me at least - by far the story's most compelling figure.

Of course, we mustn't overlook Suraj Sharma, who plays the teenage Pi. It is indeed mind-boggling that this is his first role, because he is remarkably gifted. Remember Dev Patel, who shot to international fame with Slumdog Millionaire? That is nothing compared to Life Of Pi, in which Sharma acts with, well, thin air. When you consider this fact as you watch the movie unfold, you will truly appreciate the depth of his talent. Lee is, without a doubt, an expert director, but Sharma's performance is extraordinary, and I hope his future in acting will soar to even greater heights.

It's hard to pin down a specific source of enjoyment because there're just too many to count. A superb cast and memorable characters top the list, but Claudio Miranda's cinematography adds an additional magical quality, mixing vibrant colours with gorgeous shots of Mother Nature in all her glory.

The opening credits sequence - a serene montage that blends Mychael Danna's evocative Pi's Lullaby with scenes depicting a variety of exotic animals engaging in normal daily activities - is a wonderful prelude to the miracles that follow. Perhaps most viewers didn't think much of these few short minutes, but I was completely hypnotized.

Time to download the movie soundtrack! :)

My great love of Nature also adds to the enjoyment. Life Of Pi is packed with flora, fauna and an entire spectrum of climates ( terrifying storms, a dazzling rainbow, you name it ). Aside from the breath-taking tiger and whale, there're otherworldly jellyfish, an eye-popping flying fish attack, and - a personal fave - hordes of meerkats carpeting a vast forest floor as Pi carefully tiptoes his way through the sea of furry creatures.

Last but not least, the theme of religion. I, too, identify with Pi's soul-searching journey, having found Christianity in my mid-20s after a number of traumatic, life-altering events. I can't fully explain my experience in words, but I'm sure anyone who's ever felt conflicted about the existence of God in any form, who eventually found what s/he was looking for, or whose quest is far from over, will grasp the film's message and be enriched by it.

Every once in a long while, if you're lucky, you encounter something so awesome it either completely changes your worldview ( preferably for the better! ), or reinforces a conviction that you once thought was slipping through your fingers.

Life Of Pi, wondrous jewel that it is, accomplishes both feats simultaneously. It is moving and uplifting in both its quietest and grandest moments, far surpassing 2011's The Artist, matching The English Patient's epic scope as well as Dead Poets Society's intimacy.

It is likely to be 2012's best film and an Oscar front runner in early 2013.
I sincerely hope Lee Ang wins another Best Director honour. He really deserves it.

10/10. Do not miss. :)