Ramen Teh
When was the last time, while watching a movie, you realised you have started caring for a character without knowing? And when something momentous happens to the character, you feel all the significance. At a special screening of ‘Ramen Teh’ last evening, many in the …
Youth
Feng Xiaogang’s ‘Youth’ celebrates how rich the narrative texture of Mainland Chinese cinema can be. How its stories can be as real and turbulent as its modern history. It sweeps through the lives of members of a Chinese military performance troupe from the 1970s to …
I, Tonya
How many of us can say we know a world-class figure skater? After today, I think I can. After watching this seamless fusion of docu-drama, real-life drama and mocku-mentary, where characters constantly break through the fourth wall, where one of the biggest scandals in sporting …
All The Money In The World
I watched All The Money In The World with expectations. Didn’t read any reviews but know they are generally glowing. Especially the performance of the last minute replacement, the 88 year-old Christopher Plummer. He takes on a major role, with only nine filming days, and …
The Post
Have you ever wondered? Why and how for some movies, you are on the edge of your seat when you already know the outcome of the story, when it is retelling a piece of history. It comes down to great storytelling, the makings of a …
Good Morning
This morning, woke up automatically at the exact time I wanted to. Felt refreshed from a reasonably good sleep. Checked emails and messages. Finally got the replies I was waiting for. My helper was her usual jovial self. Taking the lift down, I heard footsteps …
The Darkest Hour
I remember watching Margaret Thatcher on the big screen and within a few minutes forgetting she was played by an actress. Meryl Streep went on to win an Academy Award for her role as ‘The Iron Lady’. Catching ‘Darkest Hour’ today during my lunch hours, …
A Special Day
At lunch, I was seated next to a man and a teenage boy in school uniform. The tables were close and I could hear the boy, who was crestfallen, explaining something he did which was not up to mark or which did not work. The …
The Secret Behind Zoe Tay’s Enduring Appeal
At a local movie premiere a few nights ago, an industry veteran who relocated here from China, pointed an artiste out in the crowd from across the cinema hall at the Capitol Theatre. “It is easy to over or underdress this evening. Her dressing is …
Why It’s Time For Us To Support Singapore Films
In a recent gathering with two friends, one in education, the other in public transport, I felt a new-found sense of validation as a Singaporean film-maker. One of them said: “You should be proud of me. This year, I watched two local films: Long Long …