lost

Oh and I'm just waiting till the shine wears off.

Pawnshop Keeper

I've never been able to fully-appreciate Korean films. Too intensive for my liking. I had my reservations with The Man From No Where initially but not anymore. This one is different, one heart-stopping cinematic experience. Haven't experienced this kinda adrenalin rush from the movies for a long time. No regrets! Won Bin matures from a teenage idol to a serious method actor. Won Bin is also a reminder of a varsity joke.

The Man From Nowhere (2010) dir Lee Jeong-beom

This is the 171th DVD I'm trying to make a record of all the titles I have. I estimate it will go to 250 or even 300. Not sure what to do with them eventually. I can't possibly turn my bedroom into a video library. Get rid of the lesser titles perhaps and keep the good ones? But then again every film is a piece of work that deserves some respect, something to learn about. Even if film connoisseurs from schools may protest, even gems that is Hollywood!

Next time, have a second look at your neighbourhood pawnshop keeper.

remembering quentin

"remembering quentin tarantino films make my heart sink."

"how come?"

"the dream is too far away"

"sometimes i feel that myself. in fact, many times... ..."

 Pulp Fiction (1994)

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

just do it lah

If I have a million dollars, it would solve everything and I can go out and make a film without having to worry about bills and a day-job. But I don't. I'm also not in the industry to be at the bottom of the food chain and hope for a miracle that someday that opportunity lands on my lap. I've seen too many do that and years after lose sight of that dream. I'm lucky to have come from a middle-class family without debts nor do my parents require any financial assistance from me. In fact, I think they will give me the funds I need to make a film but no, I'm not going to use their hard-earned money in my own 90%-sure-lose-money-venture aka filmmaking.

I've worked on a local feature film set before to know that you can shoot it comfortably for just $100, 000. We've been muddled by the myths of big-budget Hollywood and forget that many modern day filmmaking mavericks launched their career with budgets as low as $7, 000 (Robert Rodriguez) and $28, 000 (Kevin Smith).

So what's the next best thing to do? Take out part of my savings and make a feature film myself.And no, I do not have $100, 000 and neither would I be using that much money to make a film.

SHT

I made a little promise to myself a week ago, not to be too bothered with politics and sociopolitical blogs in this country. Too infantile, short-sighted and too many self-righteous sheeps that simply mimics what others say. Nothing good ever happens in this country, if you believe everything our swashbuckling netizens say. However, I find it hard not to say something about the Seng Han Thong incident.

"because they are Malay, they are Indian,  they can’t converse in English well”

This is the sentence attributed to PAP MP Mr. Seng Han Thong on the Internet and subsequently, made the rounds within the circle of my social media. Friends go up on arms against Seng for making such insensitive and some say, "racist" remarks. The same sentence was copy and pasted onto almost every twitter and Facebook status of our Internet "activist".

The problem is, how many of them actually watch the video and realise that the above comment was taken out of context by a certain socio-political website with other words conveniently left out, just to further their own politicl agenda? There's a lot of difference between

"...because they are Malay, they are Indian,  they can’t converse in English well”

and

“And I notice that the PR (SMRT Public Relations) mentioned that some of the staff, because they are Malay they are Indian, they can't converse in English good, well enough, so that also we can learn from. I think we accept broken English.”

The latter was really what was being said by Seng.

I have friends who commented that Seng's insensitive remarks is a reflection of poor political showmanship. They really must read up on statements made by politicians from Europe, America, Australia and (not too far away) Malaysia (instead of surfing the web for their next holiday destination) and compare them to what Seng had said.

It's hard not to feel pessimistic about the future of this country if the Internet is a reflection of the real society. It's interesting to note how quick we are to jump at every discomfort in our lives as Singaporeans to be a policy mistake of the PAP, as if the PAP can stop the rain. One misconstrued opinion can become "truth" when spread by mouths of hundreds.

Ok back to hibernation and serving the Buddhist community based on Buddhist values. As a heartlander would say, "我不要chup了".

What are you doing in my park?

I like all these little-known cop drama. Shot in 2009 on a HD camera, most of the time without a tripod. Fluidity of it makes it look like a newscamera or a high-budget TV drama. HD being video means whitewashed when indoors on a sunny day. Perhaps big names on the film won't take the risk of either making it a low-budget hit or an indie-wannabe. Cop drama, turf wars, police corruption and a whole load of mess in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

I actually think this film is a hidden gem. Val Kilmer, 50 Cent and Sharon Stone, plus the technology of HD video. If Gomorrah can be nominated for a Golden Palm in 2008, I think Streets of Blood shot against a realistic New Orleans street without purposeful art direction and minus away all the cheesy Hollywood moments have the makings of a cult hit.   

 Streets of Blood (2009) dir. Charles Winkler

Maybe you'd like to join me?

 Maybe you'd like to join me?

 抱佛脚？

 Technically观音菩萨 is not a Buddha right?

Eh yah hor. Aiyah, Bodhisattva's foot also counted lah.

Rushes. No colour editing yet. It's back to the drawing board, trying to make it work better. Too much mediocrity to the name.

Organs

43 organisers (and 7 missing ones)

I don't know how to use better words to describe my heartfelt appreciation for the youths of SBM. It's never easy to do Buddhist youth work in Singapore, with the lack of resources and support and the cynicism of "armchair experts'. These kids probably had "better" things to do during their free time. But they spent countless hours for months preparing for the camp. Then on camp day itself, they climbed the stairs and the hill, lugging along tables, chairs and litres of drinking water against adverse weather elements. They chose to spend as little as possible, like renting the cheapest vehicle they can find, which turn out to be a rickety old van with non-functioning breaks. Even when the weather threatened to spoil the event, their mood never dampens. Environment and conditions can challenge them but they realise that ultimately, it's their attitude towards their surroundings that matters most.

They worked at the background, away from the limelight. Perhaps that's how SBM develops our youths. Serving others in unglamorous roles and see how their sacrifices can add happiness to the lives of others. Some of these organizers are as old as the campers but they readily take on responsibilities, putting the welfare of the campers first.

See the value of serving others and the joy you have in your heart, when you realise that your small little actions could generate into something bigger. Build spiritual friendships in a safe place where you can grow. Spiritual friendship also means that you allow your friends to learn new things and give them space to make mistakes. Understand your faith and realise what an inspiring teacher the Buddha is and how His teachings can benefit yourself and other teenagers Take ownership of this the Mission. It belongs to all of us. Look after it well, make your voices heard and let it grow in wisdom and compassion. Continue to serve with passion as servant-leaders and spiritual friends who look out for one another.

"Spiritual friendship is the whole of the spiritual life." - The Buddha

The Mission

Larger than life. Keep it close to your heart, let it grow.

VG10

I'm a bit greedy but a Sony NEX VG10 will make a good camera besides the 5DMk2. I don't like big cameras so a small coke can size of the VG10 will fit just fine. The only problem is it still looks like video-like.

Will be even better if Canon can fuse the size of the Canon HV series video with the censor of the latest C300.

Education

A proper education really does make a man.

1. The only FT that should remain in Singapore are maids and construction workers.
2. If pay is too low, Singaporeans will not want to do them but we should not hire foreigners to do these jobs. Such jobs include cleaners, coffee shop helpers etc. The elderly should not do these jobs too since they are old and should enjoy their last few years. PRCs should not take up these jobs too since we do not want to see them everywhere i.e. our heartlands.
3. We should not be made to compete with the world. We should hire only locals even though some FT may be better qualified and ask for a lower pay.
4. The government is always to blame if costs are high (cos we keep hiring locals remember?). If locals want to compete with FT and ask for competitive salaries i.e. lower salaries, the government is to blame again.
5. The government is ALWAYS to blame for our predicament. We in no way have control over our own lives. Everything is predestined.

Written by a hall friend.

Cao Cao

"寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我"

Jiang Wen's portrayal of Cao Cao in The Lost Bladesman struck me hard. Many months later, I'm still spooked by his charisma on the big screen.

He should have been on Red Cliff. Or should I say, Red Cliff's portrayal of Cao Cao as a narrow-minded one-sided villain who fought a war over a woman needs a major revision. A significant yardstick away from becoming a classic.

Don't you want to be an uncle?

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) dir. Craig Gilliespe

Xenophobic Shit

I'm tired of this narrow-minded xenophobic shit, coming even from even the mouths of our "elite" undergraduates. I've got no qualms if you want to bitch about foreign talents flooding out Singaporeans for white collar and PMET jobs but seriously, bus drivers? And let's not get started about that particular picture making the rounds on Facebook; a MRT train carriage full of Banglas and Chinamen, the construction kind, and the SAF tagline, "What Would You Defend?"

You find me one Singaporean with a diploma/degree who is willing to build a career as a bus driver. Or better still, find me a young Singaporean who is willing to become a Bangala/Chinaman and work under the hot sun as a construction worker.

Singaporeans are indeed very much ignorant. We don't see the Eurozone Crisis and the American debt and the comfortable jobs we have but complaining about not having enough money when they flock to pamper themselves with the latest gadgets. Now the liberals would say, "it's the PAP gahmen fault la!" Rightly so! Heavy rains, flooding, bus accidents, Slutwalk, December-suddenly-so-hot, it's all the bloody gahmen's fault lah!

I think the Noose Thai correspondent, Pornsak Sukumvit, said it well:

"Not like Singapore, one day flooding everybody call police."

Hugging the Buddha's Foot

More feet, more luck!

The Limits of Control

The Limits of Control (2009) dir. Jim Jarmusch

Double expresso. In separate cups. Jim Jarmusch made his first feature film for only US$12, 000. Collecting DVDs is not an expensive hobby, unless you consider the fact that films are available for download off the Internet for free. Jarmusch is not common on the shelves so the DVD costs close to $30 one year ago. Pricey, considering that shops sell most DVDs below $20 and when you consider China and Indonesia imports, below $10. Controlled my urge for the annual warehouse sales and I got it for just $8. 

I'm not so much a hobbyist, neat-freak, making sure every copy of disc is in air-tight plastic sheets. I just like to watch movies and re-watch them again and again to re-live those cinematic memories.

Valen the Tiger Nephew

SBM Youth

Introduction video of SBM Youth on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Singapore Buddhist Mission. Sort of like a "corporate video". It's like being back in WeeKimWee School. Rushed out 3 videos in 6 days. In bed by 0300 and up for the day job by 0730. I think somethings' always in the blood. Pardon the grammatical errors in the subs.

Meditation

I think I need to be more discipline in my meditation practice. Train the mind and keep it at bay from monkeying around.