Sunday morning and The Mitchells vs. the Machines review

This morning after a walk to Bread and hearth, and the Keong Saik Bakery, I watched the Mitchells vs the Machines, that was released in Netflix instead of theatre release due to Covid situation. I like its originality and spirit. The Mitchells is a "weird" family who struggles with father-daughter relationship, with personality that sticks to their originality rather than trying to fit-it. Although it is not trying too hard to depicts the strangeness of the family, the sense I got is that each person in the family was just free to explore their individual passion, and try hard to live life. It also tries to depicts the machine with AI trying to take over the world, although I felt that was just the plot to provide the unifying purpose for the journey the family has undertaken to fix its broken relationships.

It's very therapeutic to do morning walk, and lately the summer wind in Singapore has made the early morning bearable. Perhaps the air is also fresher and clearer without the usual traffic.

Display case at Keong Saik Bakery

Early morning at Chinatown

View of People's Park Centre

Super quiet market during phase 2

Kopi-O Kosong from hawker's coffee the 1950's

Savoury butter croissant perfect breakfast item with coffee

It's a fitting family movie for a sunny Sunday morning.

Selections from the Bread and Hearth and Keong Saik Bakery with black coffee (Kopi-O)

Witches of the Orient

Yesterday I went and watched by myself the movie "The Witches of the Orient" at Oldham Theater, at Asian Film Archive, a new show I just discovered uring the semi-lock down that we are under right now. I woke up to the news that Hong Lim market is being closed for 2 weeks due to emergence of a new Covid19 cluster there... and I recall the romantique film being made by French moviemaker that is unique than Korean, Japanese, or American style of film making. The movie is semi-documentary although the story it depicted is true, about the trial and triumph of the women's volleyball team that went to dominate 1960's culminating in gold in Tokyo Olympics 1964.

Busy week in China and Stronger

We had a super busy business trip in China, Beijing. After our 360 meeting Monday morning, we flew to Beijing SQ806 landed on 2300 flight, stayed at Westin Chaoyang. And flew back home Friday SQ807 A3801640 flight landed 2300 ahead of schedule. On flight, I watched Stronger, a very strong movie with Jake Gyllenhall about the survivor of Boston Marathon bombing.

The movie deals with feral and frank qualities of human post-recovery. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhall as Jeff Bauman the young, working class, man whom became instant celebrity due to photograph of him in the aftermath of explosion and his identification of the bomber. He became an instant hero and symbol of the Boston recovery surrounded by his hard-drinking, family who expects much of him without having full appreciation of what he went through. His only salvation is his girlfriend Erin, played by Tatiana Maslany. He dealt with his injury in quiet, obliging manner but kept his frustration bottled up inside in such a raw and fine performance by Jake, who is the clear star of this movie. A fine performance by Miranda Richardson as Patti, Jeff's mother provides the emotional cortex as the representation of family's expectation on Jeff but unable to provide support and sanctuary that Jeff so badly needed to deal with the hardwork and pain that Jeff will need to deal with for the rest of his life.

It is one of the amazing movie that I have watched recently, and it is ultimately touching and satisfying. It will be great to see how the box office and award season deal with this movie.

Me Before You

Watched this movie on the flight to Seoul. Tear jerker movie about a romantic relationship that blossomed for a simple-happy village girl with no skills and big heart, after she became the caregiver for a disabled Tom. Emilia Clarke was silly and adorable Lou in this movie and Sam Claflin stiff but charming as the quadriplegic Will Traynor.

Fans of Game of Thrones would also recognize Tywin Lannister as Will's dad. This movie ignited fierce discussion about disability and choice. I think the tragedy of the romance would show that it takes more than a sweet relationship to uplift the lifetime of disability. It makes me realize how difficult the life could be for disabled people that non-disabled takes for granted many times. If the movie just ends with happy ending that would portray the life of a quadriplegic too lightly.

Grand Budapest Hotel

Watched the magnificent Grand Budapest Hotel, the Wes Anderson's 2014 movie that is artistically fascinating with great cast like M. Gustave by Ralph Fiennes and Zero, the trusted lobby boy by Tony Revolori, and their adventure. Lovely, eye candy to watch, delightful in its wittiness, and entertaining.

I watched it during my short flight on Thai Airways TG404 to Bangkok, and continued that during my Saturday morning.

Bond: SkyFall

Just came home from watching 007: SkyFall. I like the show. It's not so emotionally gripping - but I enjoy the beautiful movie by a wonderfully skilled cast. Daniel Craig, as buffed, macho, and serious as Bond. 3 beautiful Bond women, and my favorite Judi Dench. I like Ralph Fiennes' straight guy but gentlemanly and Javier Bandem's performance is chilling - so cool.

And guess what, today 11-Nov is Bond's birthday.

The Dark Knight Rises

Dark Knight Rises

The third-movie of the Dark Knight trilogy is intense, dark, but also realistic. I feel that most part of the movie is very fast-paced, sometimes felt rushed in terms of most of the scenes. So it's exciting but takes a while to digest all the things that are happening with multiple villains and frenemies. The themes however is very relevant to concerns today about the decaying moral of modern society, the have- and have-nots clashes, and various urges of the powerful characters whether to cleanse, defend, forgive, punish, or to trust.

I love Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman, he is egoless outside of the custome, and dark menacing inside the custome so you always feel such that his character is reigning in something immense. Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle is alluring, cunning, and street-smart. She is lovely and unsettling as the feline character. I love Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman as the supporting Gentlemen of the Batman ensemble. Marion Coutillard is so lovely and fully composed as Miranda Tate. Joseph Gordon-Lewitt feels familiar (a number of characters from Christopher Nolan's Inception) as tough police-detective and finally Tom Hardy portrayal as Bane is evil and chillingly scary.

Go the Goodness and Hope!

In-flight entertainment

8 hours flights each way Singapore - Brisbane

3 episodes of the Big Bag Theory
Hunger Games
Friends with Kids
Lorax
Act of Valor ***1/2
The Artist ****
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ****1/2 (my favorite)

Men In Black 3

Last week went to watch MIB 3. I didn't watch the second installment, and I didn't crave in excitement to see this one. But I am glad I did.

The movie is fantastical, but entertaining. Normally I didn't like action movie nor Will Smith, but this movie humanizes and touches. And it's cool to see all sort of gadgets that the movie dreamed about these days, time travel, memory swipe, violent aliens, plus the nostalgia of the wonder years of 1969 where dreams are purer, air freshers, and life tho ignorant, less complicated.

I like this review from TonyMacklin.net.

In Flight movies

Movies enjoyed on sQ flight Jan2012 Taipei.

MoneyBall
Melancholy story about game-changing GM of Oakland A in American Baseball. Based on true story. Great performance by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. Rotten tomatoes rating: 95%

Captain America

Today had productive day. I went to mass, first time at the Church of St. Teresa - Kg Bahru Rd. I love the songs - the same set one from the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Oh how my heart signs with joy. The mass there at 1030 and another one at 12pm for now.

Then, went for quick lunch before catching the Captain America: the First Avenger. Chris Evans is so very cute and heart-meltingly sincere. It was an entertaining ride thru American patriotism, the WW II and the crazy warzone fighting. The scene I most enjoyed is the first part - with the frail little boy and his journey of discovering his fate. The rest felt right, but also predictable. You should not miss the clip after the ending credits - we almost left, luckily we didn't. I read somewhere that the hallmark of Marvel comic is the great character developments and plots. I have to agree on the way the director Joe Johnston portrayed the movie - from a pretty outdated settings at WW II to the modern day's patriotism and valor.

Source Code

Movie: I love it 5 STARS

Moral: Live is valuable. Cherish the present and time.