Sunday, March 08, 2020

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...

Monday, February 24, 2020

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.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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.