Ozzy's Teh Tarik Corner

We've moved!

2009-04-04T00:11:00.001+08:00

Yup, I've now left Blogger for greener pastures in the land of Wordpress. For the latest posts, point your favourite browser to Ozzylicious!

Brawn and brains

2009-03-31T08:59:00.002+08:00

The 2009 Formula 1 Season is finally up and running again with the customary first race in Melbourne. Being the first race of the season, where every team are still not 100%, Melbourne usually creates a lot of surprises, like Mark Webber's one and only podium finish in his debut race in a MINARDI, which was a really really bad car, struggling at times to even finish in a fast enough time to start

Review of my MacBook Mini

2009-03-30T09:08:00.000+08:00

I've had about a week now to play around with my Leopard-installed Dell Mini 9. As a Mac user, I absolutely LOVE it, but then again also as a Mac user, the Mini (unsurprisingly) is not a true Apple device and ultimately does have a few nags.Pros:It's a small, light, portable, fully functional Mac OS laptop!It's FULLY FUNCTIONAL. Everything works - wifi, built-in 3G, trackpad, built-in webcam,

MacBook Mini

2009-03-22T15:15:00.006+08:00

A new trend in the computing world emerged in the 2nd half of 2008. Before, bigger was always better, and computer manufacturers were enticing consumers with larger hard disk storage, faster processors, better graphics cards, bigger screens, faster wireless connections, etc. Thing is, does the average user REALLY need all this? In the modern day of the internet, you can argue that 90% of home PC

The 'Ol Switcheroo!

2009-03-17T23:11:00.005+08:00

One thing about me that really irks my friends is that I seem to change my mobile number at least twice a year. About a year ago I switched providers from Maxis to DiGi. Reasons being:Rates and charges were cheaper than Maxis, and as the Missus has a supplementary number, calls and SMS's between us are free WITH NO LIMIT.I opted for the unlimited data plan, which was cheaper at RM66/month, albeit

Remote-ly crazy!

2009-03-09T20:43:00.011+08:00

Everyone who knows me personally know that I'm a geek with a capital G. I am very passionate about tech, and do own more than my fair share of state-of-the-art gadgets. However, besides a few posts on my beloved iPhone, I've never really talked about my other toys. Until now. I'll start with my Home Entertainment System, and I think there's no better way to do it than to look at the remotes!1.

Surviving the Slim River rapids!

2009-03-03T23:20:00.003+08:00

DELL-iberate farce!!

2009-02-03T08:00:00.001+08:00

When my mom-in-law asked me to get a new PC for the house a few months back, I straight away went to the Dell website to look for a cheap system. I'm not really a fan of Dell computers, having had TERRIBLE experience with them during my IT Manager days at the office. However, for a small fee they do have a comprehensible warranty package, which covers EVERYTHING for 3 years, including accidental

Doner KeBABI

2009-01-28T23:47:00.004+08:00

One thing I miss most from my student days in the UK is the food. Greasy fish and chips, drenched in vinegar; fresh hot doughnuts oozing with sweet strawberry jam; soft scones with dollops of cornish cream; rhubarb crumble drowning in custard. And last but not least, who can resist a big, fat doner kebab. I always preferred mine big, with ALL the salad and ALL the sauces. My favourite kebab shop

Kembara ANSARA 2009

2009-01-20T11:30:00.003+08:00

First hunt of 2009. First one for quite a while, actually - more than a month since the MENSA hunt. Not a great start to the year though. Turned out to be quite disastrous, both in terms of the hunting experience and our performance.Same old story with the team - I have never yet hunted with the same team for two different hunts! Originally we had two of my colleagues joining us. They were both

MENSA Treasure Hunt 2008

2008-12-15T22:01:00.004+08:00

We took part in the MENSA Malaysia Treasure Hunt 2008 on Sunday. It was yet another iteration of Team Teh Tarik, with our fourth different teammates in as many hunts. After the hunt though, it seems that we have finally got a permanent team!Anyway, the hunt, organised by Laurence Hie, was themed "Planet Green". The questions were almost entirely environment-based, and every single treasure item

Jack Bauer's back!

2008-12-02T00:05:00.003+08:00

Yup, after taking a break for one year due to the Hollywood writers' strike, 24 Day 7 is finally upon us! The "pilot" for Day 7, a 2-hour special called 24: Redemption, was aired in the US over the weekend and is already on the torrents. This time there's no CTU as Jack's now relocated to Africa, on the run from the US government who hold him responsible for the numerous killings and tortures

iPhone 2.1

2008-11-15T23:58:00.006+08:00

So I finally took the plunge and installed firmware 2.1 on my 1st-gen iPhone. The update's been out for a few months now, but I wanted to wait until a stable and reliable "hack" becomes available. And also an easy and foolproof installation method. I did ask around at Low Yat Plaza though for fees charged for them to do the upgrading - RM200 is the common quote. So I did some research on the net,

Apple Malaysia Online Store is open for business!!

2008-11-11T12:33:00.003+08:00

Apple have FINALLY launched an online store for Malaysia! No big deal for many, as almost every major shopping mall in the Klang Valley has at least one Apple reseller. But it's significant to me, for various reasons:We can now browse the latest Apple products and accessories online, with actual prices in RM. Prices would include for various customisations - additional RAM, HDD, etc.It's another

Top 10!

2008-11-10T20:10:00.005+08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Team Teh Tarik has arrived! In only our 3rd ever hunt, and with our 3rd pair of teammates, we have managed to finish a very respectable 9th out of 50 teams.The Top Gear Malaysia Motor Hunt 2008 was the least stressful and, dare I say, easiest so far. Well, for the latter I guess our experience in the past two hunts have helped us tremendously in knowing how to solve the

Treasure Hunting for Dummies

2008-11-05T20:08:00.003+08:00

After joining my first two treasure hunts, I've learnt a lot of tips on getting the answers and treasures right from my experience. I'll write them down as a Treasure Hunt 101 for other newbies and potential hunters.1) Look out for the indicator wordMost of the clues you need to solve are cryptic clues, where a lot of time and skill is required to decipher the clues before you even start looking

Top half!

2008-11-04T23:48:00.004+08:00

Yup, after a TIRING day spent hunting, we managed to finish in 100th place out of 240 teams. Top half, which is a marked improvement over our bottom half finish in the Lexis Nexis hunt, and especially as it was only our SECOND EVER hunt! But to be fair, we did get 12 questions out of 35 wrong, and the fact that most of the other teams were newbies did contribute to our position. Encouraging

Maradona the gaffer?

2008-10-30T08:12:00.005+08:00

Seems that Argentina have PANICKED and have made the seemingly BAFFLING decision to appoint one Diego Maradona as the new head coach of the national team. Yup, the same Maradona who single-HANDedly won the 1986 World Cup for his country, and the same one that ballooned into a cocaine-addicted ikan buntal after his retirement (and we always thought that drug addicts were all skin and bones!). He

Spa Retreat!

2008-10-29T22:05:00.004+08:00

The missus and I went on a deserved weekend break to Avillion in Port Dickson. Really nice and scenic place, staff were very professional, and the place was really clean - even the beach (surprisingly for PD!).Anyway, the highlight of the trip was our couples session at the Avi Spa. A spacious building set on stilts right above the water, with an unrestricted panoramic view of the Straits of

The Hunting Season Begins!!

2008-10-25T12:00:00.008+08:00

We really enjoyed our first ever hunting experience, so we decided to sign up to two back-to-back hunts in November! The first one is the all-famous theSun Motor Hunt, where there'll be a total of 250 teams! Well, actually more than 250, as we registered after the maximum number of teams have already applied, but received a call yesterday confirming our late late participation! It's on this

Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa

2008-09-20T12:08:00.004+08:00

Ingin saya ketengahkan satu gejala berat yang menular masyarakat kita dewasa ini. Masalah ini adalah berkaitan dengan penterjemahan beberapa istilah Bahasa Inggeris ke Bahasa Melayu. Penterjemahan yang langsung telah dilakukan ke atas istilah-istilah Bahasa Inggeris ini walaupun terdapat istilah-istilah Bahasa Melayu sedia ada yang sudah cukup memberikan maksud yang sama dengan istilah-istilah

In-ger-landd!!!!

2008-09-11T11:55:00.004+08:00

None gave them a chance. Justifiably so, given they lost both ties last time round. And with the miserable performances under Capello so far, some even hint that they just should've stuck with McLaren and saved a lot of money in the process. Even Bilic, the Croatia coach, was critical of England's struggle to a 2-0 win over part-timers Andorra on Saturday, and was confident of his own team's

Introducing.... Honda Civic 2.0s - Nighthawk Black

2008-09-08T16:47:00.004+08:00

After more than 2 months of waiting, we finally got our new car! It's something I can finally be proud of driving. Don't get me wrong, my trusty 'ol Wira's contributions in the past have been immense. But now, for once I'm not envious of other drivers on the road. It's a really FAST car, which is evident even in the current running-in period when I try not to exceed 3000 revs. Getting behind the

Fergie gets a Bulgarian

2008-09-02T20:14:00.001+08:00

So, there ends the summer transfer window. And after a day of high drama (Spurs accepting a higher offer from Man City), United finally sealed the deal for Berbatov at the very last minute before the window shut. Going out the other way were Saha to Everton (how on Earth did he pass his medical test?), Silvestre swapping the United reserves for the Arsenal reserves, and Frazier Campbell going on

Flying Murder

2008-08-29T15:03:00.003+08:00

Read this interesting article on The Independent online. To SUCCESSFULLY kill a fly, youshould ANTICIPATE where the fly would fly away when you attempt to swat it, rather than swat exactly at the place it was resting. This is because of flies' super duper reflexes.This is true, as I usually do the same thing, which is to clap my hands OVER the fly rather than hitting the table. Try it - it works!

Coming soon......

2008-08-22T23:04:00.002+08:00

The new PSP!!

2008-08-21T23:35:00.004+08:00

Other than my iPhone, the other device that I almost always have with me is my PSP. And being the Winning Eleven/Pro Evo Soccer addict that I am, the ONLY game that I have on the PSP is of course Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.Anyways, Sony have just officially announced the PSP-3000. Admittedly it looks EXACTLY the same as the "slim and lite" PSP-2000, but what excites me about the new version is

Premier Fantasies

2008-08-13T13:26:00.003+08:00

FINALLY, the new season is upon us! For some less succesful teams (Arsenal and Liverpool) you could say their season starts tonight with the Champs League qualifiers.Anyway, I've joined the OFFICIAL fantasy league at http://fantasy.premierleague.com and set up my team for the season. Hopefully you can join me there, with just a few simple steps:Register a team (it's FREE!!) at http://

My very first treasure hunt!

2008-08-10T09:10:00.009+08:00

I've always wanted to join a treasure hunt. And no, I'm not talking about real treasure here, the kind associated with pirates and Indiana Jones. But rather, the more urban type of hunt where teams drive around "hunting" for answers to riddles in a set amount of time. It's become a popular pastime here in KL, where even "professional" teams of hunters exist. I've had experience with a "walk-hunt"

Staying put - for now

2008-08-07T11:02:00.004+08:00

Well, well. Who would've known. Seems that the Ronaldo-Madrid transfer saga has ended - at least for now. And seems that he's staying at Old Trafford - at least for now. The full transcript of his interview with a Portuguese paper can be found at Guardian's football site.Short of a press conference with Fergie by his side, the interview is the closest you can get to a concrete statement from

PC Fair

2008-08-01T23:03:00.005+08:00

Went to the PC Fair today, first time in a couple of years in fact. Needed to get me some proper speakers for the iMac, as everyone knows that the built-in ones just dont cut it. So after Friday prayers at the KLCC mosque, straight I went to the Convention Centre, thinking going then would be the best time with the less crowd, and should be a half hour, MAX one hour trip. Oh, how WRONG was

Bangkok Dangerous

2008-07-25T18:06:00.005+08:00

Been some time since my last post. Have just been plain busy lately - work, weddings, photo edits, creation of a new homepage (more on that later), and the odd holiday to Bangkok thrown in. Bangkok was supposed to be a balanced trip of sightseeing and shopping, but it somehow turned into a shopping and cinema trip instead. Go figure. Anyway, didn't get too many keepers from the 100 or so snaps I

Vegetarian KFC?!?!??!?

2008-07-11T19:32:00.003+08:00

Terrorists? Bah!!!! We should be afraid - nay, we should be VERY AFRAID - of VEGETARIANS!! According to kypost.com, it seems that KFC Canada has given into pressure by offering VEGETARIAN CHICKEN!! And guess what this "chicken" is called - UNCHICKEN!! I really do not get these VOLUNTARY vegetarians (I'm cool with those who are vegetarian for religious/medical reasons). I mean, it's BLOODY OBVIOUS

Steamed over steamboat

2008-07-09T23:27:00.004+08:00

The Missus took me out for dinner tonight at this steamboat place at Ikano. Forgot the name of the restaurant, but it's the one at the basement level, with tables that go almost right into the P1 parking. If you're lucky, you can get a parking spot literally next to your table. Like going to your favourite Mamak, just that it's underground and the air is much more polluted with car exhaust fumes.

My precioussssssss

2008-07-05T23:14:00.003+08:00

After months and months of saving up, I finally got myself the new iMac - 24" version, no less. I've already pimped it up by getting these LED strips from Ikea and sticking them to the back of the screen! Gives the iMac an aura befitting of something so freakin' sexxayyyy.More details on shot above at its flickr site.

Ashbil & Fatimah

2008-06-30T23:58:00.004+08:00

A photo from the wedding of my friend Ashbil and his wife Fatimah. More photos of the newlyweds taken by moi can be found at the link below.Ashbil & Fatimah

Beware the lady with the SUV

2008-06-25T22:30:00.003+08:00

Now I've always been very apprehensive whenever I see a lady driving a big SUV, specifically Toyota Harriers/Lexus on Malaysian roads. I'm sure you agree with me that some (most?) of them act as if they're driving small Kancils and there are no other motorists, barging their way to change lines or cut queues.Well seems that things are not so different in other parts of the world. In Belfast,

The MOST expensive iPhone accessory ever!!!

2008-06-21T12:40:00.002+08:00

For all you iPhone lovers, you can now get your own Merc for your iPhone, available in a range of shapes, sizes and colours. This is surely one iPhone accessory you can't get at Low Yat Plaza!

The Sun articles on Ronaldo

2008-06-21T12:15:00.002+08:00

Two very interesting takes on the Ronaldo saga by The Sun - the best source for all the latest footy news and gossip.Let Him GoBig-time Charlie has most to loseWord of warning though, The Sun is also well-known for its Page 3 girls, and celebrity paparazzi snaps, so do exercise extreme caution if you are at work!

Wake me up before you go go!

2008-06-19T09:44:00.003+08:00

So is Ronaldo going? Or to be more precise, do I care? On one hand, he’s been United’s ayam tambatan the past couple of seasons, breaking so many goalscoring records (made all the more impressive considering he starts most matches on the wing), and sweeping all awards before him. I remember during the couple of times I was lucky enough to see him play at Old Trafford, each time he had possession

Happy dolphins

2008-06-17T09:36:00.005+08:00

Regardless of whatever certain quarters say about the authenticity of its contents, the online portal of Malaysia's The Star newspaper has always been my main source of local news. However recently I can't help but getting distracted by an overeager dolphin everytime I'm there. Well, the dolphins are actually part of Malaysia Airlines' banner promoting their "cheap" fares to Brisbane, but it

iPhone 3G is here!

2008-06-12T08:54:00.004+08:00

I have a confession to make - I own a sim-unlock, jailbroken 16GB iPhone, and boy do I love it! For all its weaknesses - and there are many - the two things that make it the killer phone for me is: It's an iPod - I can just connect it to my MacBook Pro and my podcasts are updated automaticallyIt's simply the BEST mobile web-surfing experienceNow my major gripes about the iPhone are:it's not 3G -

An England & United fan's dilemma

2008-06-06T11:03:00.005+08:00

Ever since that black day in November when England were cruelly (if deservedly?) denied a place in Euro 2008, one thing has been on my mind – whom to support in the absence of Rooney, Rio, Hargreaves et al. Naturally for me, it would have to be a team that contains one or more of the recent double-winning players. Here’s a brief look at the relevant countries:PortugalUnited players : Cristiano

Review: Iron Man

2008-06-01T23:26:00.004+08:00

Director : Jon FavreauMain Cast : Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff BridgesNot another comic superhero flick!I was enticed by Iron Man ever since the first time I heard about it during pre-production because of the fact that:(a) it's a comic movie directed by Jon Favreau (well, anyone OTHER than Michael Bay), and(b) with Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away (Well actually it was 30 years ago)

2007-05-25T22:26:00.001+08:00

Today is 30th anniversary of the premiere of Star Wars, my favourite of all time. WHICH Star Wars, some of you may inevitably ask. Well, if you know your movies, there was always ONE film titled Star Wars. :PAnyway, as some sort of tribute, please click here for a list of 30 most memorable quotes from the film.

Review: Black Snake Moan

2007-05-24T19:03:00.001+08:00

Director : Craig BrewerMain Cast : Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin TimberlakeOkay okay, I confess. The only reason I wanted to see Black Snake Moan was to see (an unrecognisable) Christina Ricci chained to a radiator in various states of undress. However, the pleasant surprise is that leaving the cinema, the thing about the film that sticks to me is not Ricci, but Samuel L. Jackson. He

Horrific Fun!

2007-05-22T01:29:00.000+08:00

Above is a scene from the upcoming Black Sheep, which features murderous sheep (seriously!). This and other horror films are featured in firstshowing.net's Guide to Summer 2007 Horror Movies.

Review: Shooter

2007-04-17T05:54:00.000+08:00

Director : Antoine FuquaMain Cast : Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny GloverLatest film from Fuqua (Training Day, King Arthur) about ex-Army sniper Wahlberg on the run after he was framed for attempting to assassinate the US President.Enjoyable film, though a bit predictable and with gaping plot holes that you wouldn't miss with a bazooka from 10 miles. Wahlberg to me can't shake off his

Review: 300

2007-03-31T08:08:00.000+08:00

Director : Zack SnyderMain Cast : Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David WenhamI’ve read some nerds on the net ranting about how 300 exaggerated things and did not depict what really happened 2500 years ago. Thing is, I DON’T CARE. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a fictionalized tale based on a comic, and I treat 300 no different than Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings.So anyway, 300 is yet another Frank

Review: Apocalypto

2007-03-04T17:53:00.000+08:00

Director : Mel GibsonMain Cast : Rudy Youngblood, Jonathan BrewerMel Gibson's latest is a beautiful, kinetic, edge-of-your-seat, harrowing and gruesome tale set during the last days of the Mayan empire, cast entirely by locals speaking the ancient language (with subtitles of course).Though the opening scene ends with the gory killing of a tapir for food, the next 20 minutes shows the humanity,

Review: The Number 23

2007-03-02T09:35:00.000+08:00

Director : Joel SchumacherMain Cast : Jim Carrey, Virginia MadsenActually the number 23 itself has personal meaning for me. I was born on 2nd March (2/3), and the number of letters in my full name (Mohammad Ozairi bin Othman)? You guessed it right - 23. That fact, an intriguing teaser trailer, and the involvement of one of my favourite actors made me look really forward to watching the film.Sadly

Finally!

2007-02-27T08:20:00.000+08:00

So the Oscars are finally over. No real surprises in the major honours based on pre-Oscar forecasts and awards shows in the last month or so. My only disappointment was that Pan's Labyrinth didn't win Best Foreign Film, despite winning Oscars in other categories.Scorsese finally won his first Best Director gong, though by my guess more on a kesian basis. Don't think that The Departed is as good

Review: The Holiday

2007-01-02T04:07:00.000+08:00

Director : Nancy MeyersMain Cast : Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Rufus SewellSupposed to be a nice little family-friendly romantic comedy made for the holiday season, about two women on opposite sides of the Atlantic swapping houses for Christmas. In fact it turned out to be a dreadful film.The worst mistake made was having two separately independent storylines. If ever it

Review: Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny

2006-11-28T06:47:00.000+08:00

Director: Liam LynchMain Cast: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Tim Robbins, Dave GrohlThis is the film that Jack Black was born for! It's an air guitar-playing, side-splitting, foul mouthed comedy musical which is brings out the best in Jack Black, especially for those familiar with his Tenacious D songs.Admittedly, the plot is a bit absurd, if there is one to speak of in the first place. But who cares,

Review: The Prestige

2006-11-25T22:11:00.000+08:00

Director: Christopher NolanMain Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett JohanssonAn overall interesting film by Christopher Nolan, director of Memento and Batman Begins, about 2 rival magicians trying their vicious best to outdo each other and come out tops. While the storyline is simple, the editing is a bit unusual, which is no surprise coming from the director of Memento.

Eagle-eyed

2006-11-24T03:40:00.000+08:00

Just finished watching Return Of The King on the telly, first time I've seen it since I saw it at the cinema. And then too I didn't watch it fully, as I dozed off a third of the time! Anyway, watching the ending again, I'm compelled to ask the following:If Gandalf can use the giant eagles to go rescue Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom, if it seems so easy, why not just use the same damn eagles to

Review: The Departed

2006-10-19T22:19:00.000+08:00

Director : Martin ScorseseMain Cast : Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Martin Sheen, Mark WahlbergYet again I have to start a review by apologizing for the crime of abandoning this blog for so long. The excuse is really simple, really. Going to the cinema was such a horrible experience that I actually STOPPED going to the cinema again!However, things have turned for the better now,

Review: Mission Impossible 3, Cars, X-Men 3

2006-07-05T17:10:00.000+08:00

Sorry to those who have been eagerly anticipating my “regular” film rants (yup, all 3 of you). Haven’t been updating my blog, guilty as charged. Reasons? Well, you can say that I have other things occupying my time now (and NO, we do not have a baby yet!). Maybe some day soon I’ll post a blog on this other hobby of mine. But anyway, I HAVE been to the movies, and have seen all the hyped-about

Comas not realistic in movies

2006-05-10T15:00:00.000+08:00

Now there's a surprise. In a report by the BBC, a "leading" US Neurologist has said that movies are "grossly misrepresenting" the comatose state. Part of the report reads as:"For example, they often showed miraculous awakenings - often within seconds and as if from a terrible nightmare - with no long-lasting effects at all.Other flaws included:A lack of feeding tubesUnrealistic muscle

Review: The Sentinel

2006-05-10T09:54:00.000+08:00

Director : Clark JohnsonMain Cast : Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria A plot to assassinate the President of the US. A mole in the Secret Service. Kiefer Sutherland as one of the good guys, fighting against time to uncover the plot. Sounds like yet another season of 24, right? Wrong. It’s essentially what The Sentinel is all about, with Michael Douglas playing the lead as the

Review: In Her Shoes

2006-05-03T00:50:00.000+08:00

Director : Curtis Hanson Main Cast : Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette So here goes, my first DVD review. Got a feeling that there’ll be more reviews of these for the same reasons stated in my previous post. I just don’t look forward to going to the cinemas anymore! In Her Shoes is basically a “Chic Flick” based on a “Chic Lit” of the same name. It stars Diaz and Collette (the mother in Sixth Sense)

Review: Inside Man

2006-04-28T15:40:00.000+08:00

Director : Spike LeeMain Cast : Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie FosterI haven’t been putting up new reviews for quite a while now, for various reasons. Partly because of the recent actuarial exams, and also because of my disillusionment of the whole Malaysian cinema experience. Really can’t remember the last time I went to the cinema without someone talking loudly on their mobile, or

Review: Memoirs Of A Geisha

2006-01-26T23:55:00.000+08:00

Director : Rob MarshallMain Cast : Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li Memoirs Of A Geisha is an entertaining adaptation of the novel of the same name (which is highly thought of by those who have read it). The film stars the current who's who of Asian cinema in Ziyi Zhang (who's officially changed her name from Zhang Ziyi - marking her increasing Hollywood profile), Ken

Review: Oliver Twist

2006-01-26T09:20:00.000+08:00

Director : Roman PolanskiMain Cast : Barney Clark, Ben KingsleyThe main problem with this film is that is has already been filmed before. The 1968 version, a musical no less, is one of the most loved films of all time, filled with classic sing-along songs. The new Roman Polanski (The Pianist) version, though, has no songs. And Oliver without the songs, is just plain boring and disappointing. I

Review: King Kong

2006-01-18T20:30:00.000+08:00

Director : Peter JacksonMain Cast : Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien BrodySo here it is, my first review in months, for various reasons. And what better way to kick start this blog again than by reviewing what is possibly the film of 2005. When the first of the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR) films had its premiere in central London several years ago, I was told by a friend who was there that while

Review: Herbie: Fully Loaded

2005-08-28T16:04:00.000+08:00

Director : Angela RobinsonMain Cast : Lindsay Lohan, Justin Long, Michael KeatonOk, so normally I don’t really pay to watch these type of films, but then (a) it was the only film on show (besides Bewitched which was fully-booked), and (b) it’s got Lindsay Lohan. Enough said.I can still remember watching the original Herbie films about 15 years ago on Saturday mornings during the school holidays.

Review: Batman Begins

2005-07-05T19:47:00.000+08:00

Director : Christopher NolanMain Cast : Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes, Morgan FreemanLadies and gents, we have a new winner! Winner of the title of “Best Superhero Flick” that is. Yes, in my humble opinion, Batman Begins is that good. The film, based largely on Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One series of comics, is better even than Sam Raimi’s Spiderman films. Maybe not

Review: The Interpreter

2005-06-20T23:11:00.000+08:00

Director : Sydney PollackMain Cast : Sean Penn, Nicole KidmanThe Interpreter is a taut, emotional and gripping thriller about political intrigue and conspiracy starring two of the biggest acting heavyweights in the trade today in Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Even though the film opens with a cold-blooded murder carried out by - seemingly innocent at first - machine-gun wielding children, it’s not

Review: Sin City

2005-06-17T00:54:00.000+08:00

Director : Robert RodriguezMain Cast : Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Benicio Del ToroFirst of all, let me make clear that other than my daily dose of Calvin & Hobbes, I'm not really a comic 'person', and prior to this have never before heard of Frank Miller. Therefore, this review on Sin City would be based

Review: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith

2005-06-10T00:27:00.000+08:00

Director : George LucasMain Cast : Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmindAfter 28 long years since the release of the first film in 1977, the end has finally come. Or rather, the beginning, as you could say that the whole new trilogy is just an introduction to the first one.Anyway, there I was in the large cavernous theatre of the Odeon Leicester Square. As the

London Trip

2005-05-14T12:02:00.000+08:00

I’m proud and happy to announce that I’ll be in London from 20th May until 4th June! First time back since I finished uni almost 3 years ago. Also means that for the first time in 3 years I’ll be able to watch the latest releases at the cinema without the following (in no particular order): Subtitles (in two languages!) that cover half the screenCensored scenes/dialogueDirty film

Review: Kingdom Of Heaven

2005-05-12T23:55:00.000+08:00

Director : Ridley ScottMain Cast : Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons, Eva GreenI was a wee bit – no, make that much – apprehensive when I first found out that this film was in production some time ago. To those who know, The Crusades were a sensitive and controversial part of history for both Muslims and Christians, and I couldn’t imagine how a film can be done without aggravating at least one faction

Review: The Jacket

2005-05-07T23:30:00.000+08:00

Director : John MayburyMain Cast : Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris KristoffersonHere in Malaysia, we get virtually all the latest big-budget blockbusters the same time they’re released in the States. From the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, to Star Wars, to the gazillion comic superhero flicks, we’re always up to date. However, good

Review: Guess Who

2005-05-04T23:26:00.000+08:00

Director : Kevin Rodney SullivanMain Cast : Ashton Kushter, Bernie Mac, Zoe SaldanaGuess Who is supposed to be remake of a 1960s film, though watching it, you would’ve thought that it’s actually a remake of the more recent Meet The Parents and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, amongst others. It’s the all-too-familiar tale of meeting the other half’s family for the very first time, usually went said

Review: Coach Carter

2005-05-02T23:08:00.000+08:00

Director : Thomas CarterMain Cast : Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Ashanti Not much to say, as Coach Carter is your normal run-of-the-mill sports film: shit team, unorthodox new coach comes in, team not happy with coach’s methods, team and coach solve their problems, team not shit anymore. Everyone’s happy. End of story. What may set this apart from other similar films

Intro

2005-05-01T21:11:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my Blog. Well, not actually a Blog per se, but more a place where I can put up my thoughts and feelings about the latest film releases, both at the cinema and DVDs. I may also occasionally put up something with nothing to do with any particular film, just a discussion maybe of something to do with the movie industry, or a rant on the state of the current Malaysian movie scene. Actually