Latest movies in Singapore cinemas reveal what pets get up to when they’re home alone

If you’re after a good belly laugh movie that appeals to both parents and children, you can’t go past the latest movie, The Secret Life of Pets, which is released on the 1^st of September. Featuring the voices of some of the finest comedians working today, and put together by the team that created the hilarious Despicable Me movies, it lets us in on what goes on with our pets after we’ve headed off to work for the day. And it’s not what you’d expect. We discover they’re more like humans than you’d probably expect.

The Secret Life of Pets: director

Director Chris Renaud has done an excellent job of taking a very simple premise – what happens when a pet’s perfectly idyllic life is thrown into chaos by an outsider – and creating a multi-layered, animated romp that throws all our pre-conceived notions about our pets straight out the window. Quite literally, in some cases.

Voices and characters

Louis C.K, is the voice of Max, a terrier who is living the perfect life in New York City. All he wants to do is sit by the door all day and wait for his owner, Katie, to return and make his life complete. One day, however, she returns with Duke, an enormous, hairy stray she picked up at the pound, and Max’s idyllic life is immediately turned upside down. Not long after that they’re lost and alone in the streets of the city and having to cope with adversaries such as a gang of deliciously nasty feral cats, a psychopathic white rabbit, sea monkeys with identity crises, pigs, birds, snakes and every other type of pet you could possibly hope to imagine.

Synopsis

Max and Duke have to adapt to all the crazy situations around them in order to get back to Katie and the lives they loved, and how they go about this is both hilarious and thought provoking. After watching it, you’ll never really be able to look at your pets again without wondering what it is they’re thinking. And though the movie may be jam-packed with everything from slapstick through to slightly questionable toilet humour, it does have an underlying message about how we treat our pets. ‘They say they love us, then they throw us out’ one irate character exclaims. So if you’re after a couple of hours of sheer entertainment for the kids that won’t have you tearing your hair out at the inanity of it all, take them along for some time with The Secret Life of Pets. And afterwards, don’t be tempted to pop by the animal shelter and grab a couple of likely looking strays. The inclination to do so will pass, I assure you.

It's been so long since I last wrote about a movie, and I have to write about this film that I just saw:

I knew that I would love this film the moment after I saw the trailer, and I'm so glad that it didn't disappoint. It was a feast to my eyes with the landscapes, art, interior, fashion, makeup and hair. The 1920s was such a good era! 

Love the high collar~

But what blown me away the most was the performance of Eddie Redmayne, can a guy be any more beautiful and elegant as him! You really got to watch the movie to understand this; he portrayed the character so well that it really got me curious about the real Einar Wegener/ Lili Elbe as a transgender pioneer.

So I spent my Christmas searching for the books and even Gerda Wegener's paintings, which are so cheeky and divine by the way! I love everything about her works!

To me, this film was more than just a man who realised his true identity and the internal struggles that he had in his mind and his relationship with his wife... it is about life, the struggles of living and the battle we overcome to make sense of what life means to us individually. For Lili, being a woman is her life's goal; for Gerda, I felt like it was her paintings and a tad bit of seeing her husband's wishes fulfilled. Overall, the film only showed  me a glimpse of the story behind Lili but it made me a whole lot more curious about their works as a painter and the life journey of the characters.

Let me know what's your thoughts if you have watched it!

This is how it always ends. With death. 

But first there was life, hidden beneath the blah, blah, blah...

It's all settled beneath the chitter chatter and the noise, silence and sentiment, emotion and fear. 

The haggard, inconstant flashes of beauty. And then the wretched squalor and miserable humanity.

All buried under the cover of the embarrassment of being in the world, blah, blah, blah... 

Beyond there is what lies beyond. And I don't deal with what lies beyond.

Therefore... let this novel begin. After all... it's just a trick. Yes, it's just a trick.

-From The Great Beauty

I had a pretty interesting Saturday evening, spent on yummy food~ great company and a really powerful movie (it was for me). It's my first time watching a movie outdoor, under the stars. It seems like my date is determined to create experiences that are unique on its own... for which, I am grateful for :)

It's not the first time someone cooks for me (bless my brother's interest in cooking) but as always, it makes me happy every time when I'm fed :) Thank you for the meal and for washing the dishes!

 I was surprised by the number of people turning up!

How is it that I didn't know that there are such events when all these people do!

Imma Failed Singaporean. Haha!

I read up on the synopsis of the movie beforehand and saw a quick trailer of it before heading down to the movie. And, while I was aware of the main story line.. it didnt prepare me for the emotions that I felt after the movie. 

I had a tear in my eye when the credits roll. It's not a sad movie. I think this movie will only speak volume to people who has been through the downs of life and reflected on it.

But generally, I think the most powerful scene was the moment this lines were delivered:

Madam, I took a vow of poverty.

And you can't talk about poverty... 

You have to live it.

The way the lines were delivered... I stopped breathing for a while.

In the end, it's one of those power movies that makes you reflect on life...

I like movies like this.

It was a great night!

The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.

This movie preview was one of the best! 

All attendees were invited to attend in our superhero/super villain outfit with our superhero/supervillain name. The Top 2 best dressed attendees won themselves $100 each!

I was Vampy Girl, with my imported (not very clear in the photo) vampire fangs from USA~

Haha!

MCs were in their own outfits as well with all the top superheros/supervillains!

I love themed events!

~~~

Back to the movie~

A battle between good, Kick Ass and evil, Mother F**ker (it's crude but funny) that has been taken into another level with more superheros and supervillians involved! A movie of action, blood, reality and romance, the story line is mostly predictable but everyone loves a good old action movie that can invoke laughter.

As for my favourite character in this movie~

It's the same in Kick Ass, my favourite character in Kick Ass 2 is still Chloë Grace Moretz, acting as Mindy Macready & Hit-Girl.

Dont mess with her~!

I totally love her attitude in the movie!

Catch Kick Ass 2 in theaters for some good old action and laughter!

Thank you OMY.SG for this opportunity!

You are AWESOME!

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Kidding!

In RED 2, CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. To succeed, they’ll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the next-generation weapon. The mission takes Frank and his motley crew to Paris, London and Moscow. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, their old-school skills, and each other to rely on as they try to save the world—and stay alive in the process.

Packed with lots of arm weapons scene, killer moves and shiny cars, I'm sure that if you are a junkie for an action packed movie, RED 2 is really something to watch and enjoy! Plot wise, it was full of twists and while it was easy to understand the different types of relationship each character has with each other, I still think this movie will make a whole lot more sense if you have watched RED (1) before.

Overall, I am very pleased with the plot and LOVED every joke made in it by none other than Marvin, acted by John Malkovich! Eccentric and paranoid as he is, I loved his character since the first movie, although this time round, he showed a lot more maturity in this thoughts & his knowledge of romance~

Marvin in RED, one of my favourite scene of him.

Marvin in RED 2, one of the most epic scene!

Watch the movie to understand :)

Catch RED 2 in cinemas from 1 August 2013!!!

Thank you, OMY.SG for this opportunity!

The Dictator is a heroic story of a dictator, Haffaz Alladeen, of the oil-rich African nation of Wadiya who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Definitely, a movie to watch for an hour and almost half hours of laughing (as you could have guessed from the trailer)! The story line may be generic and very predictable but the humor in it makes up for its "I-knew-it" plot. Just a heads up that some of the jokes may be offensive if it implies to your gender, race etc~ So take it with a pinch of salt. But in midst of all the jokes, the movie was trying to make a point about what exactly is Democracy and I felt like the last portion of the movie explained it really well.

That aside, awesome cast for this movie~ I bet you didnt realised that the Main Lead,Sacha Baron Cohen, is also the actor of Bruno and Borat! Fabulous actor, I didnt even realise until I goggled him! Haha!

  

On the whole, the story ties in really well and I like how some of the portions are out right in-your-face funny and how some requires a little bit more thinking to find the humor in it! 

Better go and watch it! No? It's ok~ it really is up to you! *Big warm smile*

(Behind your back)

p.s. yes.. My lame attempt of a joke. You will only get it if you watched the movie.

Rating: M18 ● Sexual, Humour and Nudity

 Official Release Date: 14 June 2012 

Preview screening of  The Dictator, courtesy of Omy and United International Pictures! 

If you live in the west side of our Sunny Island, and are a regular patron to Jurong Point... you might have noticed that GV Jurong Point was temporarily closed since the start of February this year for renovation.

Well, people~ It's time to rejoice for GV Jurong Point has reopened its doors today (1st May) after a $4.5 million renovation that promises an enhanced movie-viewing experience. There was lots of buzz with it's re-opening today with GV's ongoing promotions (more details below) and there seem to be an endless queue of people at the ticket counter, all eager to experience this newly renovated cinema~

Golden Village patrons can now look forward to a complete refurbishment of all cinema auditoriums, common areas, toilets, box office and candy bar counter!

I had the luck to experience all that today, thanks to OMY.sg! 

Auntie Lucy also made a  guest appearance and was going around taking candid photos with her fans and distributing complimentary GV treats to lucky movie-goers.

As if being invited for a free movie at a newly renovated Cinema isn't sweet enough, the "cherry" that made the entire experience more awesome was the fact that we got to watch the highly anticipated summer blockbuster, Marvel's The Avengers!!!

Yes, everyone~ The movie is awesome!!~

and I got the best seating! Right in the center, at the back!  

So, all this talk about the renovation~ 

How is GV Jurong Point better??

Stadium seating

Offering excellent slightlines for all!

Wider and more luxurious Camatic cinema seats

More butt space and oh~ so comfortable seats!!!

My only discomfort was with the head rest, but my dad said the head rest was ok for him. 

So, I guess it's an individual thing.

Ample Legroom

Legroom space is now 1.1m, compared to 0.90m previously. 

Perfect for people with long legs, like me! Haha~

7.1 Dolby Sound System

With premium-grade Eastern Acoustic Works speakers from US.

Honestly, this is too technical for me... All I know was that the sound system was good for me, not too loud not too soft with the right oofm~ at the right moment!

Wall-to-wall Spectro screens

Fully digital too! Sharp and crispy footages, just the way I like it!~

And now~ For movie-goers living in the West or even singaporeans who love value-for-money deals, GV Jurong Point is having daily promotions in the month of May!

From 2nd to 23rd May, these are the daily offers:

Period	Description	Mechanics
Mondays	Free regular coke with purchase of 1 x large popcorn	Purchase 1 x Large Popcorn and receive 1 x Regular coke free.
Tuesdays	$2 for 2 Cheesy Hotdog	Purchase 2 x Cheesy Hotdog at $2 only. Usual Price $4.
Wednesdays	Enjoy Student Price ALL DAY!	Present student ID to enjoy $7 Student Price all day.
	$2 off Nachos Combo	Purchase Nachos Combo at $2 off.
Fridays & Saturdays	Catch a weekend Late Night movie at GV Jurong Point and enjoy FREE parking!	Present min a pair of tickets purchased for a Friday or Saturday Late Night session at the Box Office and receive a parking comp pass. While stocks last.
Sundays	Restaurant vouchers giveaway with tickets purchased to any session before 2pm!	Receive restaurant vouchers with purchase of a pair of tickets to any Sunday sessions before 2pm. While stocks last

Personally, Monday's and Tuesday's daily offers are the best!!! Despite my size, (yes~) I like to snack on food during movies!  Haha!

GV Jurong Point is located at:

1 Jurong West Central 2

#03-01/26 Jurong Point Centre

Nearest MRT: Boon Lay

Photos from self and Golden Village 

At the start of this week, I had the opportunity to participate in the preview screening of Ghost on Air, courtesy of Omy and Merelion Pictures!

Ghost on Air, directed by Cheng Ding An, is about a Radio Dj who resorts to telling ghost stories on air during midnight, after losing his successful morning show slot. Using the ghost stories that was written by his deceased girlfriend, he regains a small step to his superstardom. However, he begins to realize that the stories were not works of fiction, and maybe it wasn’t him telling the stories all along…

My thoughts on the movie, after having watched more than a handful of horror movie like Ghost on Air, I got to admit that the storyline was a little generic. You know when something is more or less going to spook you and how the story will turn out. However, I like the humor  added into certain scenes to evoke some laughter and how the story ties in neatly by the end of the film and I got the gist of it.

And I got to applaud the casts used! Job well done~ 

My favourite cast is the old lady, acted by Choo Xiu Feng, she has creepy vibes written all over~  

And Ding An, Kudos for ruining my love for old shophouses... Hahahaha!  Great venue chosen for so many of the scenes!

All that being said, there is room for improvement. I felt that the ending was slightly rushed and I would really like to know what happened to the main cast for a more complete finish. And maybe, not too obvious spooky parts with the sounds as a hint? Just my 2 cents. 

If you would like to support a local film and are looking for a little hair raising experience, give Ghost on Air a chance~

~~~

 Q&A Session with Movie Director, Cheng Ding An

On the night of the Movie Preview, Ding An, made a surprise appearance to meet everyone and we had the chance to ask him a few questions about the movie. 

My question to him was : What were some of the challenges you face for this film?

His response was that for his first movie "Kallang Roar", the inspiration and story line came from the passion people (he interviewed) had about football. It was easy to write and there was the backing of actual history stories and recount. However, for Ghost on Air, the story line had to be created. That was a challenge. 

Besides that, unsure if it was stress itself or the spooky nature of the film, Ding An felt like he was constantly moody during production. Trying to keep his emotions in check and keeping up the efficiency of the production itself, was a challenge too.

When asked if any rituals were done, he said definitely!~ Despite being a free thinker, he carries a "Fu" (a mini Buddha) around in his wallet and does the required rituals for such a movie. In fact, he felt like there was  always a need for rituals that everywhere they go, they are always praying and burning incense. 

When asked if any thing spooky happened, he hesitated for a moment and said that he has heard stories from people, before quoting from Confucius, "Respect the spirits, but keep them at a distance", as his take on this issue and said that he thinks they exist and respect should be given due. 

If you like to hear more about the spooks, there is a mini hype about all things supernatural on their Facebook page, click here. 

I hope to see more of local films soon and all the best, Ding An!

Recently, I have been selected to attend the Preview screening of FLOWERS OF WAR starring Academy Award winner Christian Bale, courtesy of Shaw Theatres and Omy!

The Flowers Of War, directed by Zhang Yimou, is about a Westerner who finds refuge with a group of girls and prostitutes in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the girls to safety.

Having grown up listening to tales of Japaneses Occupation period in Singapore, told by my grandparents, I have always felt their fear and sadness attached to their childhood. It was in their eyes. We all heard tales of people being beheaded, stabbed and shot; women raped, brutally; heros lost... In this movie, Yimou, managed to portray the truth of a war. War is downright depressing, bloody and crazy. But it is within the chaos where courage, fear, sadness, love, hatred are displayed.

If war movies are the kind of movies you like to watch, Flowers of War definitely has its battle moments cleverly woven into the scene by Major Li, who was with the last few remaining Chinese soldiers in Nanjing, risking their lives and forgoing their chance to return home to save the girls that were being chased by Japanese soldiers.

But the core of the movie revolves around the females, both groups of students and prostitutes, and their plan to leave Nanjing alive while avoiding being caught, raped and killed by Japanese soldiers with the help of a western mortician posing as a priest.

My favourite cast out of all, has got Yu Mo. I couldnt take my eyes off her every time she appears on screen. Besides being really pretty, there is something mystic and sensual about her that attracts my attention. Haha~

Just a honest heads up, that overall, I felt really depressed after watching the movie. Mostly due to the way the movie ended and just the brutal fact of how war is... but well, it reminds us of how lucky and fortunate we are now, living in a country free from war.

That being said, I think I will be picking up a new book to read soon~