A Miss Is As Good As A Mile

So how did you folks find the Oscar's this year? Most people watched the first couple of hours, found it boring, and turned off their tellys/switched to another channel. Ellen was competent, if a little lightweight, in her role as host. Loved the joke about how there would be no Oscar's if there were no Jews, blacks and gays - and no one named Oscar, if you think about it.

I took part in this contest to predict the winners in the 4 main categories. Chosen entries would receive a VIP membership at Cathay which would allow for a year of free movies - very, very appealing indeed. Sadly, I only got 3 out of 4 correct - was spot on for lead actor, actress and director, but for some reason predicted Little Miss Sunshine winning best picture. Grrr.

I found it ironic that while they were proclaiming this year's ceremony to be the most international in terms of nominees, the announcer said that The Departed was a remake of a film from Japan. I guess to the Americans, Japan, China and Hong Kong are interchangeable. In fact, a few days ago, I even read someone saying he didn't know that Chinese and Japanese were two different languages. It's sad really. We know so much about the West, and they're barely aware of our countries, let alone our history or culture.

Anyway, I found the 79th Academy Awards to be pretty good. Was pleasantly surprised(although I sort of expected it) that Melissa Etheridge won for best song over the multiple Dreamgirls nominations. I expected something like that because the Dreamgirls votes were effectively split in 3. Oddly enough, Beyonce seemed to turn in a better performance than J Hud, and my goodness Anika Noni Rose can SING! Celine Dion made a surprise appearance and unfortunately sang an utterly bland and boring number. With Leonardo(hot hot hot!) and Kate(divine) in the Kodak, I half expected her to break out into 'My Heart Will Go On' midway. Now that would have been spectacular!

The highlight of the night was the skit between Anne, Emily and Meryl. Whether planned or improvised, it was hilarious! Meryl is fabulous in every sense of the word, and I wouldn't be surprised if she just improvised her part because she's great at that sort of thing. I have to get The Devil Wears Prada on DVD!

Also loved when Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola jointly presented Martin Scorsese with his long overdue award for best director.

While Helen Mirren certainly deserved to win, I do hope that Meryl Streep wins at least another Oscar in the future and please give KATE WINSLET her first Oscar within this decade!

That's all.

Long Way To Happy

We all have our quirks. I tend to have more than the average person out there. One of them manifests itself in Jan-Feb of every year, also known as Oscar season, when I try catch as many Oscar nominated movies as possible. Call it what you want - getting caught up in the hype, attempting to appear all culturally aware and sophisticated, desperately seeking a balance to my decidedly more trashy taste in music - I do make an effort to watch as many of these movies as possible.

And so last night, I convinced the samazozi sistas to watch The Pursuit Of Happyness. Partly because it received a Best Actor nomination for Will Smith, and partly because I knew it was set in San Francisco. The movie is based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a brilliant African American struggling to support his family while pursuing an extremely competitive internship at Dean Witter(now part of Morgan Stanley) in the hope of becoming a stockbroker.

The film is set in 1981. America is on the verge of recession. Reagan admits that the economy is in bad shape on national television. The budget deficit is at an all-time high. This dire situation is reflected in the astounding number of homeless people in San Francisco who queue up every evening for limited spaces in the various shelters. Chris eventually finds himself in this queue with his young son(who really is Will Smith's little boy).

The movie was equal parts inspiring and depressing. While I've never been one for a bulging welfare state, seeing the scores of homeless people queueing up for that most basic of necessities - a roof over their heads - was heartbreaking. Not everyone has the intelligence and luck of Chris Gardner, what happens to those people?

Another theme of the movie was that of parental responsibility. While his wife decided to leave her family behind for a job in New York - and I do understand and sympathise with that decision - Chris tried to provide for his son as best he could. Even if it meant cooking up a story about travelling back in time and finding refuge from the dinosaurs in a cave, just to alleviate the discomfort of having to spend the night in a public toilet.

On a side note, I loved the racial diversity of the movie. A black man taking his son to daycare in Chinatown, then rushing off to work in an environment dominated by whites. Or the scene where they were playing basketball on the roof of a building, with the Taiwanese flags fluttering in the background along with a solitary Stars and Stripes. Brought back many fond memories of San Francisco.

So maybe, just maybe, the reason I try to catch all those movies that have been nominated is because they're actually really good! And that's about it really. Can't wait for the Oscars tomorrow!

J to the B

Going to JB is like, to quote Meng, taking a "step back in time". A time when taxis didn't have meters and you negotiated(more like asked, because the drivers don't seem to understand the concept of negotiate) your fare before boarding. A time when shopping centres were not full of foreign brands and the best you could hope for was an outlet of Levi's here and a Bonia boutique there. A time when you had to watch the pavement for holes and huge drain grills that seem to defeat the purpose of having drain grills because they are spaced so far apart anyway!

Perhaps the most compelling reason to take this journey back in time is because of the prices. 1980s environment = 1980s prices. Unless of course you're looking to buy fragrances or clothes from international brands, in which case you're better off staying in the first world. For me, touring JB was like moving from one gastronomical delight to the next. We started by having lunch at this Hong Kong style restaurant reminiscent of the ones we have in Singapore.Having reached Malaysian shores, we took a taxi down to Holiday Plaza, which according to certain sources was the only place worth visiting in this thriving metropolis. I'm afraid that bar a handful of shops selling pirated software and some sleazy sex stores, the place was as dead as Janet Jackson's career. We took the opportunity of lunch to regroup and launch a new plan of attack.

Which brought us to Pelangi Plaza, a respectable mall with a Cold Storage and smattering of shops, including the very prestigious METROJAYA department store. The main highlight of the place was a Secret Recipe where prices were the same numerical value as in Singapore - but in Malaysian Ringgit. Much as I dislike it, I couldn't avoid the typical Singaporean reaction. 'Wah! So cheap!' The strawberry cheescake I had wasn't exactly delectably divine, but for $2.50 it was good enough I suppose.

From there we started walking around aimlessly for some reason, bizarrely choosing not to take a taxi because of a 1 ringgit difference in fare. On the plus side, this was an opportunity to explore the raw and gritty side of JB, with the aforementioned redundant drain grill, as well as such oddities as the Cosy Inn.
Ah! The New York Hotel! But make no mistake bitch. Look around you. This obviously is no Manhattan.

Next stop was the most Singaporean mall of the day, JB City Square, complete with Starbucks and all. There was an interesting store selling various frivolous knick-knacks and such, along with an alleged I-Pod speaker, retailing for around RM 30. I was tempted to buy it but common sense prevailed and I left the store empty-handed. Lena and Yin Xuan on the other hand went crazy and pranced around like little schoolgirls in a candyshop, ooh-ing and ah-ing over keychains, clocks, tissue disposal bins, and all those random embellishments that you put in your room in the name of decoration. All of us had Yammi Yoghurt, which was also going for half the price, and rounded of the binging at this Taiwanese snacks store in the basement. Mmm mm mm. I felt like cooking mama. Ok actually no but that's the name of some trashy Nintendo game Meng was talking about last night that sounds hilarious.

Yet another taxi ride brought us to Tebrau market, where we feasted on egg tofu, prawns, kiam chai soup and kang kong, along with 2 huge jugs of sugar cane juice, all for just 64 Ringgit! That works out to less than $8 a person!

It was well past 9 by the time we crossed the causeway and made our way through customs and back into the regulated order of Singapore. I've had my misgivings about our version of Tijuana...and I still do, but it wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it to be. Next time I'm in the mood for a binging spree, I'll be back in the land of the brown, the potholes and the durians.

Dreamgirls will make you feel alright!

The Trevvy screening of Dreamgirls was held at the Golden Village Gold Class Cinemas in Vivocity. Complete with private lounge and plush electronic recliner seats, it is incontrovertibly deserving of the term Gold Class. There were attendants on hand to attend to any requests for (overpriced)snacks or beverages, there were blankets to keep us warm, the seats were comfortable and spacious - what more could anyone ask for?

A musical tour de force! Dreamgirls was a knockout! The movie didn't feel draggy(unlike say Babel), the two and a half hours seeming to fly by in an exuberant display of singing, dancing, theatrics and a good deal of glitter, sparkle and all round razzle-dazzle. Beneath this glossy sheen, the harsh realitites of show business are exposed. Drug abuse, payola, discrimination, the emphasis on image, the constant pressure to have a fresh and appealing sound, sacrificing uniqueness for generic broad based appeal - all of which are sadly still very much a part of the music industry today.

Dreamgirls has an added dimension of tragedy because the audience is aware that the movie is based on real events - it's the biography of the Supremes, or rather of Diana Ross & The Supremes. Florence Ballard (who is the inspiration for Jennifer Hudson's character Effie White) was sidelined because their manager felt that Diana Ross, with her higher register and better looks, was more likely to ensure crossover success to the pop(read white) charts. Unlike Effie White however, Florence Ballard never fully recovered from her downward spiral and died in relative poverty.

While Beyonce is competent in her role as Deena Jones, she is outperformed and outsung by Hudson, who oozes with attitude, anger, frustration, disappointment - the whole gamut of emotions that are expected from someone who was betrayed by those she loved. In a revealing moment, Curtis Taylor(played by Jamie Foxx) tells Deena that the reason he chose her to front the Dreamgirls was because her voice was generic and lacked depth. This criticism of Deena was by extension a criticism of Beyonce herself and the current pop music scene. This is not to say that Beyonce can't sing - she is certainly one of the better singers of her generation - but rather reflects the fact that in the world of commercial music, a distinct voice (think Macy Gray, or Fantasia) that deviates too far from convention is not always appreciated.

As consumers, we are guilty of supporting this trend. Having witnessed her singing on Dreamgirls which ranged from dramatic to on the verge of possession, I for one cannot fathom Jennifer Hudson delivering a song like Irreplaceable. And it is songs like Irreplaceable that become across the board certified smash hits. Even Beyonce herself isn't spared from this rule. Witness Deja Vu and Ring The Alarm, where she turned on the eccentricity and was thus rewarded with two underperforming singles. On a similar note, I preferrd the disco-tised version of One Night Only to Effie's vocally overpowering, instrumentally sparse version.

Moving away from the ladies(and since she sadly gets ignored by everyone let me just mention that Anika Noni Rose turned in a respectable performance too), Eddie Murphy was also impressive - and most deserving of his Oscar nomination for best supporting actor - in his role as James Thunder Early, who falls into depression and drug abuse as his career declines - a musical cliche that is sadly still all too real. It was a refreshing change to see Eddie Murphy taking on a serious role as opposed to the usual Nutty Professor and Norbit.

In some ways, Dreamgirls was a microcosm of the music industry, and indeed celebrity as a whole. Beneath the glamour and glossy sheen lie insecure, broken and desperate people who have the resources(and thus the ability) to screw their lives up. Money provides a buffer to hitting rock bottom. I don't think I have to mention who I feel most identifies with this situation now.

For all that - and also because I could relate to the movie on a more personal level, when you consider the relationship between Deena and Curtis - Dreamgirls is the most enjoyable movie I have seen in quite a while (and that includes heavyweights like Babel, Little Children, The Queen, and Blood Diamond) and was definitely robbed of an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

I Am Not My Hair

After the yearly reunion dinner on Saturday night, I started surfing yahoo news on my mobile phone out of sheer boredom. The first headline was "Bald Britney Appears at LA Tattoo Parlor". It was so immediate I didn't really have time to be shocked. We all know that B girl's been acting out recently but who would have thought she'd take 'rebellion' to such an extent? I was never really aware - or never really wanted to believe - that Britney was in such an unstable place emotionally. After this latest incident, I have come round to the general consensus that she needs help. Not necessarily rehab, but someone who can be straight with her and not sell her story to the press for money later. And the damn media needs to back off really. It's easy for us to look at her and criticise. Trashy apperance, not caring for herself or her children, making compulsive decisions, and the list goes on. However do we really, to quote Britney herself, know "What It's Like To Be Me"?

Imagine going through a messy divorce, having two children in two years, seemingly having no one that you can trust or depend on, being followed by the paparazzi everywhere you go, and having your every move closely scrutinised and picked apart by the media and general public. Of course, you can say that she brought a lot of this on herself - and I would agree that she has self-destructive tendencies - but even then, why do we continue to kick her when she's down? Fact of the matter is, none of us knows what it feels like to have millions of people project their fantasies and crosses onto you, and while Britney has made millions as a result of that, a high price has also been exacted.

Where to go from here? I don't know really. I for one am not hoping for an album this year, much as I was eagerly anticipating new music. On some strange level, I do admire Britney. For having the balls - some may call it stupidity - to do what none of her peers would. Can you ever imagine Beyonce shaving off her precious golden weave? Or Aguilera, for all her alleged proclamations of being raw and gritty, having the guts to stop hiding behind her thick red lipstick and Marilyn Monroe facade? The smug will now proceed to point out that Beyonce and Christina are the ones with relative success, whereas Britney hasn't had a hit in 3 years. Which is exactly my point. They love their success too much to ever risk sacrificing it. Britney on the other hand doesn't really give a fuck at this point. And on some level I admire that. Shaving her head was her way of giving the finger to those who wanted to mould her into something she wasn't. To all those people who used to accuse her of being a manufactured pop star with long, blonde extensions, singing sugary pop tunes in music videos where she resembled Barbie, and making music because she wanted the money/fame/attention. The last vestiges of that were effectively shorn away.

It does make me sad to see how far she's fallen. From golden girl to baldy. But I honestly feel that if Britney can get her act together and ride out these dark times, she truly will emerge a stronger women. The years we spent growing up and maturing, she spent being chaperoned around from one city to the next, being told what to do, a mere puppet on the strings of Jive Records. When you stifle someone for so long, the resulting fissure will only be that much worse. This is Britney's way of growing up. Sure, she could choose easier, less dramatic ways of doing so. But this is Britney after all. She learns the hard way. All we can do is wait. And hope.

dancing in moonlight, i know you are free

The trinity was together again at Taboo last night, and what a night it was! A Trevvy-organised Dreamgirls launch party in conjunction with Taboo's handbag night! What more could a gay man ask for? Having not been to Taboo for several months, I was pleasantly surprised with the music last night. Lots of late 90's/early 00's music - ie the stuff of my long gone teenage years. Together Again and In Your Eyes were particularly memorable. Had a heck of a good time just losing myself to the music. They even played Samantha Mumba's Gotta Tell You! It was great to be back at Tabs with the boys and we left for Maxwell around 3 to just sit and talk, which you can't exactly do in a club without damaging your voice/hearing.

Oh the Dreamgirls segment was great actually! Much better than your typical Taboo special event. Addie looked fabulous in an oversized blonde wig - indeed oversized hair was in vogue last night - as did Stevie with his rather vulgar but admittedly enjoyable sense of humour. There was even one drag queen who vaguely resembled Beyonce! Props to Trevvy (and by extension a certain Jonathan Tan) for organising the segment. It was fun!

In other news, yes I'm still working - you can see the money in my eyes, unfortunately a bit too literally. What was supposed to last a couple of weeks has now ended up dragging into potentially more than a month, which is sort of good for me financially(but not socially) and not so good for my boss.

While I don't feel like I'm wasting my time(because I am earning money), I do get this recurring feeling that I'm not making much out of my life. Not accomplishing much. All this time spent working is supposed to give me the necessary financial freedom to embark on the various "enriching" activities I wish to partake in, as well as to ensure that I have a decent monthly allowance to survive on once I matriculate. So at the end of the day I tell myself it's worth it, crazy dark circles and all.