After a 2-month absence due to a string of presentations, assignments and exams, I return with a heavy heart.

Robin Williams - an actor whom I've loved very much since my early childhood - was found dead in his home on 11 August, and it was later confirmed that he did indeed commit suicide, after a long battle with depression.
When I first received the news through an email alert, I was in complete shock, then utterly devastated. Like millions of people all over the world, I couldn't fathom Williams as someone who was unhappy, not when he was such a skilled comedian and brought joy to so many. But as the story unfolded, I learned how he'd actually publicly discussed his personal issues in various interviews - which I didn't see - and yet, somehow even these never grabbed the headlines the way other celebrities' problems did ( enough about the Kardashians and Beyonce / Jay-Z and Justin Bieber already! ). I was overwhelmed with sadness - not just by Williams' passing, but by my ignorance about his struggles.

I'm not ashamed to say that I cried. I can't remember the last time a famous person's death affected me this way. I was absolutely miserable for a week, and even now, my heart aches whenever I think about him.

One of the reasons for my grief is, of course, the fact that Dead Poets Society is my favourite movie. Of all time. And is it a tragic coincidence that 2014 marks its 25th anniversary?
I was 14 when I first saw it - and believe it or not, I initially hated the film, before deciding to give it another try then appreciating it much much more. It has remained at the top of my list ever since, and in Mr. Williams' honour, it will stay there forever.

If you haven't seen DPS before, then I strongly recommend that you do. At least once. And it definitely helps if you love literature. I was already studying Shakespeare and classic novels in secondary school when DPS was released, but the movie opened my eyes - and more importantly, my soul - to the simple idea of sheer possibilities. My literature teacher wasn't anything like John Keating. My love for the beauty of the written and spoken word was mostly nurtured by my mother ( bless her :)), then my own enthusiasm took over. When DPS came along, my world exploded. It inspired me to read even more; to pursue writing; to "suck the marrow out of life" by experiencing what mattered most as thoroughly and as passionately as possible; and later, to immerse myself in live theatre and support organizations which champion the arts.

So you see, DPS changed my life. And Williams' performance was an integral component. These past 25 years, I have endeavoured to "seize the day" as much as possible, even in spite of many limitations ( financial, familial, etc. ). Only in the past 8 years have my horizons been significantly broadened, yet, looking back at my life as a whole, I'm happy to report that I am content. And I am so looking forward to the next 25 years! :D

There're many other Robin Williams performances which I also love, but DPS will always be his career best in my opinion. So that's the one I will mention here. May you rest in peace in heaven, o captain, my captain!

Now, we move on to happier topics, the first of which is Outlander, specifically the new TV series on Starz channel.
I haven't read the novels by Diana Gabaldon, but watched this solely based on rave reviews - and I mean literal swooning - from People magazine.
What a great decision that turned out to be! I am now hopelessly addicted to the show, and totally enamoured of its 2 gorgeous leads - Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.

My friends from secondary school and junior college may recall my love for medieval romances. I regularly devoured such novels by the stack ( Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, Barbra Cartland ), and literature classics added to the mix ( Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Shakespeare ). And let's not forget all the movie adaptations! The most recent TV series of this nature which I enjoyed was The Tudors ( not a Game Of Thrones fan anymore, sorry ). So after a long dry spell, Outlander finally came along and blew my mind. :)

Despite Starz's reputation for semi-trashy shows like Spartacus, Outlander has turned out to be very intelligent. It also boasts a stellar cast which easily rivals that from GOT ( and thankfully, with a much smaller, manageable size ), breath-taking Scottish scenery and equally beautiful cinematography.

Caitriona Balfe - who plays nurse, Claire Beauchamp - is a wonderful new discovery. Raven-haired, fair-skinned and willowy, she's the quintessential English rose, yet infuses Claire with quiet strength. The pilot episode opens with her clamping bleeding arteries in a soldier's injured leg, oblivious to her blood-soaked arms, face and uniform. Later, she reduces a hulking young man's dislocated shoulder without any analgesia. I like this woman! :)

That young man, by the way, is Jamie Fraser, played by the very delicious Sam Heughan. If you guessed an element of fantasy and time travel in this story, you're correct. But I shall leave you to enjoy the tale for yourself, just as I am refraining from reading the full synopsis on Wikipedia. The chemistry between Balfe and Heughan is scorching hot! I can't wait to see them get it on - which they obviously will at some point.
And make sure you watch only the uncensored version. Local cable will definitely snip certain scenes, which ruins the experience.

Awaiting episode 3 with bated breath. :)

Season 4 of The Killing has already concluded, but this series always deserves special mention because it's one of my absolute faves ( probably #2, just after Dexter ).

Despite being cancelled after season 3, it found new life on Netflix, which shortened its usual 13-episode run by half. I have to say the new format works equally well, and season 4 boasts a superb lineup - especially Joan Allen and Tyler Ross - in addition to the consistently excellent regulars - Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman.

Without giving away too much, all I'll say is that the latest murder investigation doesn't pale in comparison to those in the first 3 seasons. The characters are intricately drawn, their secrets skilfully revealed, and the acting is just freaking awesome! Coming from a TV fanatic, you have to trust me on this. :)

The award for breakout performance goes to Ross, whose tormented portrayal impressed me tremendously. Only in his early 20s, he demonstrates remarkable maturity as an actor, holding his own in emotionally charged scenes with his much older co-stars. He reminds me of a young Edward Norton in Primal Fear, I kid you not!

The ending was a bit of a head-scratcher, but I still give this installment 5 dazzling stars. Is it too much to hope for a season 5? :)

Next on the list is FX's The Strain. I am pretty familiar with the source material, i.e. a trilogy of novels written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I read parts 1 and 2 before giving up, because the writing isn't that great, and the prose is bogged down by lengthy monologues which I found distracting. However, I knew a film or TV adaptation would appear one day, since the premise is perfectly designed for such media. Turns out I was 100% correct!

The TV series is doing very well in the U.S. and has already been renewed for a 2nd season ( congratulations! ). Fortunately, it is a huge improvement from the long-winded novels because the boring narratives are omitted. The horror element translates extremely well visually ( one scene actually made my mum scream, maybe because she sat too close to the TV set heh! ), and after some initial discomfort in episode 1, I've developed strong affection for the cast and characters, particularly Corey Stoll's Ephraim Goodweather ( an infectious disease specialist from the CDC ). I also dig that nice hairpiece they put on his head - makes him look much younger and really dashing! Stoll is best remembered from his recent stint on House Of Cards season 1, in which he played a senator who was cruelly manipulated by Kevin Spacey's evil Frank Underwood, before meeting a tragic end.

Hasn't hit local cable yet, so thank you, Internet! :)

I'm still undecided about Cinemax's The Knick, which is helmed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Clive Owen. Yet another medical series, and so far, not a very good one.

The production value is, without a doubt, very high. The sets, props and costumes are spot on. And Owen is a very accomplished actor who excels at playing tortured souls. However, I'm suffering from "tortured soul fatigue", especially where doctors are concerned. Laypeople must think most doctors go to work hung over or high, which is NOT the case, dammit! But what else can you do in order to generate ratings right? Sigh...

Will I change my mind after a few more weeks? We'll see.

I'll let you chew on all this for a while. More next time - hopefully within the next fortnight. :)

Reviews: Pacific Rim & Behind The Candelabra

[ Warning: Embedded spoilers. ]

I'm a self-confessed movie nut, but due to schedule conflicts, I often don't get to see shows before reading reviews.
However, it doesn't really matter that much anymore, because in recent years, I've realized my opinions are usually the opposite of what critics write. Better still, they concur with the majority of fellow film buffs. :)

To be frank, Pacific Rim wasn't high on my must-watch list. Giant robots, giant monsters ( kaiju ), mass destruction, sci-fi, etc. - not exactly my thing.
The only reason I was even remotely interested in going to the cineplex is none other than director Guillermo del Toro, whose career I've followed closely since 2001's The Devil's Backbone ( gosh, was it really 12 years ago?! ). Then came Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy and Hellboy II - 3 exquisite films which showcase his creativity and storytelling skills. If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, you don't know what you're missing!

What sealed the deal, however, is del Toro's fanboy writeup in the July issue of Empire magazine - aka my movie bible.
His lifelong obsession with Japanese monster flicks leaps off the pages, and the nuggets of information he provided about Pacific Rim were more than enough to whet my appetite. More on those later.

Now, how do I begin my review? Let's start with the first sequence, where del Toro throws us in the deep end by staging an epic showdown between a kaiju and a Jaegar robot, in the middle of Alaska.

You can read the detailed synopsis for yourself. Just be prepared for the awesome spectacle, because my jaw hit the ground. And I couldn't stop gawking for the next 2-plus hours.

Yes, this is a typical summer blockbuster, filled with over-sized creatures / machines / weapons, waging fiery wars that flatten entire cities and kill unknown numbers of humans. We get them every year, from The Avengers to Transformers. But kaiju-wise, perhaps Godzilla ( the vapid 1998 Hollywood version ) comes closest to Pacific Rim's subject matter. In terms of fighting robots, there's Real Steel, which I gave up on after just 15 minutes.

I didn't have high hopes for Pacific Rim, having decided to sacrifice an afternoon solely in honour of del Toro. Imagine my surprise when I fell under its spell. 2 hours flew by in the blink of an eye, and I didn't even need a toilet break! :)

It incorporates the best elements from other box office greats, including Independence Day, Inception and Star Wars.
For the first, there's the multiple-story-arc format which revolves around a central humans-vs-alien-invasion theme. You get in-depth perspectives from the Jaegar pilots, the Jaegar project commander, the scientists, even the crime syndicates which harvest kaiju parts for black market profit. I'm not kidding!

For the second, you get a highly inventive tale about "neural handshakes", "drift compatibility" and "the breach". I still recall Inception's "kick", "totem", "limbo" and "dream architects".

And for the third, look out for a stick-fighting scene between a veteran Jaegar pilot and a rookie hopeful. A definite homage to The Force! :)

Battles-wise, I stand by my statement that they make Pacific Rim "the most freaking awesome movie I have ever seen". To expound on del Toro's Empire article, he mentions how he designed each kaiju based on his encyclopaedic knowledge of Japanese monster films, and highlights that each Jaegar-kaiju fight was choreographed meticulously so audiences wouldn't end up watching the same thing over and over again.

He delivers everything as promised. Each creature is brilliantly crafted, not just in appearance but personality as well. Yes, they're all prone to stomping, roaring and destroying stuff, but pay attention to their defence strategies ( powerful tails, acidic venom, and one super-cool electric-current-generating species capable of inducing a city-wide blackout ). You may also notice how, by the climactic finale, the kaiju start demonstrating serious intelligence and manage to overcome 3 Jaegars in a single attack. Scary...

The robots are no less interesting. With names like Crimson Typhoon ( China ) and Gipsy Danger ( USA ), they also have specialized artillery and even their own battle moves ( thundercloud, anyone? ).

Usually, such things hold zero appeal for me, but again, it is to del Toro's credit that I found myself completely caught up in the excitement! :D

Charlie Hunnam, an actor whose previous work I am unfamiliar with, is a great casting choice as heroic lead, Raleigh Becket. He is extremely good-looking, absolutely convincing as a Jaegar pilot, and handles the emotional scenes with a nice balance of sensitivity and masculinity.

Rinko Kikuchi, as aspiring Jaegar pilot, Mako Mori, is mesmerizing. I didn't like her that much in Babel, but she is wonderful here. No theatrics, skimpy outfits or romantic scenes. For some reason, when she first appears, standing in the rain under an umbrella and quietly staring at Becket as he arrives at the Jaegar base, she captures my full attention, and never lets go until the final credits roll.

And both actors shine the brightest when they're together. They banter, they stick-fight, they pummel monsters into the ground, and they have me rooting for them all the way. Kudos to the scriptwriters as well ( del Toro co-wrote ) - pay attention to the kaiju battles, where Raleigh repeatedly looks out for Mako. It's a tender, heartwarming relationship, forged quickly as a necessity, but which results in an unbreakable bond.

As for the supporting players, Idris Elba is appropriately regal and dignified as Commander Stacker Pentecost ( what a name! ), though I take issue with the rallying pre-climax speech and that slightly ludicrous "we're cancelling the apocalypse" tagline.
Charlie Day ( from Horrible Bosses ) delivers a breakthrough performance as eccentric scientist, Newton Geiszler, whose role gets a major expansion when he leaves the base to locate a shady figure ( Ron Perlman in a short but memorable appearance ), and proves vital in the eventual closure of the breach.

Ultimately, however, huge credit goes to del Toro, whose ingenious mind gave birth to this beautiful masterpiece. He's often lauded for his ability to coax fabulous performances from children, and this is evident in a few scenes featuring a Japanese girl ( Mana Ashida ) who plays young Mako. These show her walking through a devastated, deserted Tokyo, sobbing so desperately I found myself weeping along with her. In less deft hands, these segments could've easily sunk into cliched melodrama. But del Toro not only paces them expertly and chooses prime insertion spots ( when grown-up Mako "chases the rabbit" during her maiden drift - still with me? :)), he makes them even more poignant by revealing the identity of the Jaegar pilot who rescues her from the clutches of a vicious kaiju. ( Not going to mention that here - you need to see this for youself. )
That moment is forever seared into my brain. It is so powerful yet also delicate, and explains a pivotal part of the storyline. I can't remember the last time I was affected like this!

Don't pay any attention to the critics. Sometimes, I think they deliberately pan movies like this because they want to sound intelligent and intellectual. Even Empire's Ian Nathan ( one of the best writers I know of ) gave Pacific Rim a paltry 3 stars.

Well, sci-fi definitely isn't my thing, and I've never raved about a kaiju / giant robot film in my life. But Pacific Rim scores a 9/10 in my book, and if I had time, I would've returned to the cineplex for a 2nd viewing.

So please listen to me, and go see this movie. If you end up hating it, let me know. :)

I watched Behind The Candelabra a few weeks ago, but didn't manage to review it until now.

Chances are, it will never make it to local cable. And even if it does, it may be so heavily censored you'll scratch your head and go "Huh?" for most of the film.

My profuse thanks to Z, who got this for me from "alternative sources" when my "usual source" didn't work. :)

It is an impeccable piece of work, one I rank as Steven Soderbergh's career best.

Like many other people, I cringed when I heard Michael Douglas was cast as flamboyant pianist, Liberace, and Matt Damon his lover. Both actors have well-established heterosexual heartthrob reputations, are married with kids, and have never played overtly gay characters before. ( Damon's Tom Ripley doesn't count. )

I was rather worried, to be honest, but their performances are nothing short of astounding.

Douglas, whom I've followed since I was kid, is almost unrecognizable as Liberace. The bouffant wigs, outrageous costumes and makeup markedly transform him physically, but his mannerisms stand out even more. This is the man who practically oozed pheromones in Coma ( gorgeous beyond words ), Romancing The Stone and Fatal Attraction. He's also played ruthless villains with no redeeming qualities ( Wall Street, A Perfect Murder ).

As Liberace, he's effeminate, insecure, and ogles other men with aplomb. He also appears nude a number of times, and plays the piano ( or simulates it ) very very convincingly. ( I play the instrument, so yes, he's hitting the right keys. )

Damon matches him superbly. The guy who stole hearts in Good Will Hunting, The Bourne Identity / Supremacy / Ultimatum, The Adjustment Bureau and Ocean's Eleven / Twelve / Thirteen is 100% believable as Scott Thorson, the young stud who was Liberace's lover for 6 years.

Both men are exceptional actors in their own right, but I'm certain Soderbergh is also hugely responsible for their amazing performances in this film. Especially the intimate scenes. There's no sign of any discomfort whatsoever. I found myself squirming a little at times, but they're totally immersed in the moment, and the chemistry is SCORCHING.

Of all the straight-people-playing-gay-or-lesbian-characters films I've seen so far - and I mean hard-core ones like Brokeback Mountain and Boys Don't Cry - this wins hands down. In fact, I read somewhere that it's deemed too risque for theatrical release, making its way to HBO instead. Really, even in the USA? Unfathomable!

I shall conclude my entry here. More to follow in the near future. Considering another cineplex trip to catch The Wolverine. Hmmmm. :)