Captain Philips Review

All aboard!!! 

Captain Philips Review – Another ‘Based on true event’ movie…starring Tom Hanks…hmm…why not? You never what kinda lesson you could learn from past events so you won’t make the same mistake. Plus the trailer looked good and it has also been getting rave reviews. With Tom on the helm, you can’t go wrong right? Plus, it’s been a while since I saw him on the big screen. So here we go…

How to survive from pirate? 

The story is about Captain Richard Philips (Tom Hanks) manning a cargo ship “Maersk Alabama” carrying food supplies among other things across pirate infested ‘Horn of Africa’. Just when the crew are going thru their ‘emergency’ drill, they notice two (2) small boats on their tail and manage to fend-off the pirates. This good luck however does not last long when the pirates return for the second time and manage to board the ship. Captain Philips managed to gather his crew and hide them in the engine room to prevent the pirates from kidnapping them. The four (4) armed Somali pirates demand for millions of dollars in exchange for the safety of the vessel and start to look for the crew members. Captain Philips strikes a deal with the lead pirate Muse (Barkhad Abdi) by giving him thirty thousand dollars and convinces the rouge bandits to leave the ship. Just when things seemed to calm down, the Captain lands himself in ‘deep waters’. A large operation involving US Marine and SEALS ensues in order to rescue the good Captain. Will they succeed? Jeng jeng jeng… 

The Real Captain Richard Philips 

Say what you want about the man. Tom Hanks never seize to amaze me with his talents. Throw him in an island (Cast Away), he make friends with a ‘ball’. Put him in jail (not as a prisoner) (The Green Mile), he make friends with the inmates. There’s nothing this two time Oscars winner can’t do! I only hope for more goodies from this living legend and who knows perhaps he will get another nod for the coming award season. Tom! You rock!!! As for one of the ‘bandit’ – Muse (played by skeleton looking Barkhad Abdi)…dude…you are most definitely going places as well yo! I dare to say that he is this year’s one of the best talent discovered. Now…please go eat something with the money you earned acting in this movie. As for the rest of the cast…too many to mention but they truly made me feel like I was part of the movie. Just watching from safety on the seat hoping and praying ‘everything will be OK…Irish!’ 

Bandit and their guns! 

I did however feel the film was a bit sluggish going into second hour and thank God I don’t get ‘sea sick’ because the Director decided to shot his movie with loads of the ocean angles. Brilliant acting did help with to cover that draggy part. So did the music helping to connect with the scenes. You can sometimes almost feel the waves bumping your butt! I can’t imagine myself getting stuck in such situation for so long. Confirm muntah! Bluek. Nevertheless, this movie is one of the better release among ‘ocean’ of stinky poo out there so if you plan on going on a cruise (Crap! Just remembered I’m going on board one come April) you might pick up a pointers here and there on how to survive in case your ship gets high-jacked! (Touchwood!!!) 

12 Years A Slave Review

Born in the 'wrong shade' of colour

12 Years A Slave Review – Any movie that says ‘Based on true story’ will tug my heart knowing that the story I’m about to watch is not just a ‘story’ but it’s something that happened in real life to a living person. How I wish this movie was just an imagination instead of true events that occurred years ago because no human, no one should live through such…I have no words to describe it but no living person should ever go through such experience in their life…ever…be it black, white, brown or whatever colour their skin is. Regrettably it did befall on many unfortunate souls back in the 1850’s and the uglier truth is…it’s still happening at this century behind closed doors.

Humanity is lost among coloured people 

The movie is a chronology of events that happened to Solomon Northup (Chiwetel ‘I have no idea how to pronounce his name’ Ejiofor) a black man who can read, write and play the violin living in New York with his wife, daughter and son. Solomon’s talent attracts two travelling illusionists with promise of more wealth which takes him to Washington. Sadly upon a night of drinking with his ‘new employers’, Solomon wakes up the next day as a man who have lost his freedom and ends being sold as a slave. Henceforth begins his journey as a ‘white man’s property’. He is forced to survive working at cotton field, sugar cane plantation, building ‘pondok’, running errands among other things. During his slavery, he witness his fellow black brothers getting tortured to death, worked to death, hanged to death. If you think that’s bad, a black woman’s fate is even worst where they have to work equally if not harder than their male courter part while also survive the brutal lust of their white master! By morning burn under the hot Sun while at night get raped under the dark Moon. Sometime, things get so bad; the thought of killing oneself seems like a better choice than having to live thru the hell on Earth full of racist humans. Heck, I’m not even sure if ‘these’ creatures should be called humans!

Gathered and sold as merchandise 

When I watched ‘The Butler’ earlier this year, I thought Forest Whittaker should be handed the Oscar but now I won’t surprise if Chiwetel Ejiofor beats him to it. His portrayal as Solomon/Platt was simply amazing. Even his eyes could tell you a story, the sorrow, the tiredness, the anger, the disappointment. He is one heck of a talented actor to keep an eye on. Then there was Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps….Murugaaaaa….I felt like chopping him into pieces!!! Ntah apa masalah dia! Treat people like…let’s just say, if I was one of his slaves, dah lama dah hilang dari muka bumi ni! This only meant Fassbender served his purpose showing how cruel people can be. Move over Gabourey Sidibe (of Precious fame in case you forgot) because Lupita Nyong’o will make you cry (in fact she did make me cry…booooohoooo) having to witness her ‘curse’ being born as a black woman called Patsey. Other notable characters were Benedict Cumberbatch (Solomon’s first ‘master’), Paul Giamatti as Freeman. Nama Freeman tapi he is slave trader …bongok tak? and op kos Brad Pitt as handyman Bass (he also produced this movie). One heck of cast if you ask me, kudos to the casting director. 

Cast with the Director 

The movie goes slightly beyond 2 hours mark and if you think you can’t sit through watching innocent people getting tortured and enslaved just imagine ‘their fortune’ just being born in the wrong shade of colour. Just because their skin is darker their whole world becomes dark as well. All others see them is as their ‘property’ to abide their master’s instruction. Sad truth is, even though slavery is pretty much rare during our modern times, there is still poor people taken advantage of their situation. Human trafficking, child prostitution are just some of the ongoing battle we are still fighting to get rid of. Hopefully, one day, humans will ‘look’ beyond the appearance and treat each other with respect and value other person’s feelings. It’s not easy to but it’s not that hard to achieve either don’t you think? 

This movie had deep impact on me. 

47 Ronin Review

Can somebody please kill them all? 

47 Ronin Review – Sigh…good or bad…correction, very good or stinking bad…I made a resolution earlier this year that I would write my review about all the movies I get to watch this year anddddddd…..since my all other new year’s resolution is still at the starting line, I, self-proclaimed movie MANIac will give my 2 cents worth of review for this #EPIC #FAIL movie…stay tuned….it’s gonna be baddddddddddddd……

Bengong and the gang! Bluek! :P

The movie is about (damn…can I just copy paste from other review?) heck…I have no idea what’s it’s about but every other synopsis that I read says it’s about….(screw it! I just gonna copy paste) A 3D movie about 47 samurai who, upon the death of their master, they are unable to commit hara-kiri, thus, shamed into becoming the titular Ronin as Ronin is a Japanese term that means lord less samurai. Despite the great wound to their pride and spirit, the newly anointed Ronin rediscover their reason to fight when they decide to avenge their dead lord. Over the course of a year, the Ronin patiently wait out their plan against the villain who brought about his downfall. But what happens when Kai (Keanu Reeves), a half-breed outsider, with a mysterious past falls in love with a princess? *copied from Cinema Online

Turkeys of the year!!! 

Sounds interesting kan? Well…I gotta admit the blardy trailer had so many action scenes I thought …’This is it lar! Keanu is back baby!!! Keanu will once again be famous as he was during his Matrix days!’  Fast forward after the movie…*krick krick krick….Dey Keanu….why lar? WHYYYYYYYYYY??? Did you read the script for this stinker? Did you knock your head somewhere? Are you still in Matrix? How could you cheat your left over fans like this? WHY? WHY? *anybody got his agent contact? I need to speak to the idiot!

Sigh….seriously…I watched our local movie Kolumpo the day before and walked out feeling happy but this movie…’47 kepala hotak ko punya Ronin’ sorta sucked all that joy away. I don’t even know where to begin…the slower than snail phase of the movie….not Japanese looking people trying to look Japanese while making it worst by trying to speak English with a thick Japanese accent that got me laughing my arse off most of the times. The weirder and scarier than Lady Gaga’esque wardrobe, silly special effect….as if 3D did any favour…taik ko lar…kucing aku punya taik lagi chun compared dengan gamba ni punya 3D effect tau tak? Bongok betul! Geram lagi ni. Even though I got preview tickets…I still feel cheated.

Hmmm…I don’t know what else I can write about this rubbish, crap, sampah, kuppeh…errr…how to say sampah in Chinese ah? Forgot dy? Hehehehe….you might be better off watching paint dry on a wall than this piece of cipek crap. Haaaaa…amek ko! Keanu, if you are reading this…I still have faith in you, please rise again. For fucksake! U so heksem but why lah you act macam batu? Sedih ke, happy ke, marah ke, muka sama jer….how liddet? Ok…I need to chill so there you go….lantak ko lah kalau nak tengok ke tak gambar bengong ni! 

I swear this is not intentional...no matter what I do...the gamba come out terbalik jew! Kekeke

P/s – This is why Western Directors should not mess with Eastern movie making…you guys do no justice to our culture…all chasing for profit jer! Idiota!!! Go direct an alien movie or something instead lar stupid! 

Thanks Churp Churp for the tickets  and I'm sorry about my review but it's the truth and nothing but the truth. 

Kolumpo Review

3-in-1 

Kolumpo Review – Kay Hell, Kola Lampor, KL dowh! These are some of the nicknames for our beloved ‘concrete jungle’ of Malaysia and now add another one, Kolumpo. I was born and bred in KL and it was nice to see my ‘city’ portrayed under a different light in this ‘en-lighting’ 3-in-1 movie combo. What sadden me was the cinema hall was close to empty because most movie-goers were flocking to watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster release or local movies that seem to have no other storyline besides ‘hantu’ and ‘gangsters’. Pffffffffffffftttttt…owh how I miss Yasmin Ahmad but thank God for the three wonderful Directors Sheikh Munasar, Rozi Izma and Bront Palarae for restoring some faith and ‘life’ into local movie making.   

Sure grass is greener on the other side? 

As I mentioned, it’s a ‘tiga-dalam-satu wayang’ which starts off with the arrival of Rahul from India having a dream of landing a job in the city. He gets conned the moment he lands at the airport by having to pay RM250 for the ‘kereta sapu’ service from the LCCT to Masjid Jamek. Sounds familiar? Sigh…what a ‘good impression’ for the upcoming Visit Malaysia year 2014 ey? Rahul makes his way to the agency only to be told that the company have gone kaput. A ‘kind-hearted’ man takes him in and offers Rahul job, place to stay, food and work permit. The ‘kind man’ however takes away Rahul’s passport thus making Rahul part of thousands illegal immigrant workers who gets cheated by crooks taking advantage of the poor souls trying to make an honest living. Rahul goes on with his life until his ‘luck’ runs out and he gets caught by the Immigration Department but then, there is a silver lining after all…

Nama siapa? Keje apa? Tinggal mana? Bapak ada lagi? Dah kawin belum?
Oooooooo.....I miss my Pati now :( 

Moving on to the second story…I hate to admit it but I actually felt guilty watching Gienna (Nell Ng) avoiding calls from the mother. I’ve done it before and huhuhu…still do it. You’d be lying if you said you have never done it kan? Jangan nak tipu ok! We all have that….ughhhhh….’Why you calling me?’ ‘What you wantttttttttttttt?’ question mark in our head when we see ‘that’ incoming call. You can even ‘have’ a conversation on how the call is going to be like before you answer the phone rite? While avoiding her Mom’s call, Gienna gets ‘stuck’ trying to send home a lost nenek called ‘Nek Wok’ (played brilliantly by veteran Ruminah Sidek)! Both of them go on a mini road trip from Ampang to Setapak and finally arrive at the destination only for Gienna to realize her ‘mistake’ towards her own mother at which point I myself realize my own mistakes as well….sigh….

Change while you still can....

Meanwhile…the third story comes with few questions being thrown at the audience…’aku bukan lelaki ke kalau tak merokok? tak layan lagu rock? tade awek? Well…by all means, of coz not. That’s the dilemma faced by Hafid who is a ‘good boy’ yang tade awek. He bumps into Hayy (played by cutie pie Sharifah Amani) by chance because they missed the last train. After getting a bit of street steamboat, helping a drunken girl get into a cab to her home at Kota Damansara and meeting a 'wig seller'. They go on a walk about while talking, laughing and getting to know each other better. Hayy strike a chord with Hafid making him to re-think his perception on finding an ‘awek’. Next thing you know, fate presents him with an opportunity. Will he take his chance this time?

Kolumpo under the a different light....

Now about the cast, each of them was made for their role. Who needs big names when you have real raw talent without any help from silly special effects? Your expression is all you need if you are naturally gifted. It was fun and heart-warming watching them go thru their life in the big city. Surviving each day as it goes. We seldom get to ‘see’ a place we thought we knew unless we explore and experience it from a different point of view. This movie provoked few thoughts in me about re-evaluating my own perception about life. We rarely witness a special gem like this on our screen so by all means, ditch the typical big budget flicks and sit and enjoy this ‘permata’ instead. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 

#TSDayOut Slackline Edition

#TSDayOut Slackline Edition

Amacam? Ada berani mau joing? 

“Deyyy…Y U so ‘slack’ one weyyyyyyyy?” I bet you have said these words to your friends when they mess things up or also ‘Haiya….Y today so ‘slack’ one ah?’ when you had a bad day. It’s an expression that is usually associated when you are ‘bengang’ about something but add another ‘line’-pun intended to the word making it ‘Slackline’ then voila….you get a whole new meaning out of it. According to ‘Mani-pedia’ after experiencing it thru another awesome #TSDayOut organized by Tourism Selangor (TS) …I hereby certify that it is a fun way to pass your time with your crazy friends/family….heck even with strangers.

Slack or go home! 

As usual, I was browsing the world wide weird web made even weirder by the social network site called Facebook and stumble (konon lar) upon TS’s page for their latest and final day out for year 2013…awwwww…but wait….it’s only the last one for this year….next year one I hope will be gempak’er!  Weeeehoooo….ok ok…sabar Mani…ni kena blog pasal Slackline…so sila jangan get offline (hehehe another lame pun joke…I know! Sue me!)

As usual, I submitted my name but wait…aculi no need oso rupanya because I won the blog post contest for the previous #TSDayOut Banting Edition (Yippieeeeee!!!) (*Disclaimer – I don’t…I repeat I don’t have inside information nor do I work for Tourism Selangor….because more than once people ask me how does it feel to work for them….like whertttttttttt??? Bila masa pula oi??? Kalau my current Boss hears this abis aku kena tanam anggur tau tak?) so I’m automatically got selected for this event. Next thing to do was to wait if any of my friends got selected as well. The list came out…jeng jeng jeng…yeeeeeeeeehaaaa…Amirul, Emily, Anis, Eugene….waaaaa….so many geng bas sekolah!!! I loike!!! Some names looked familiar but muka tak ingat, takpe lar….nanti boleh re-kenal balik kan?

Lucky 30 'slackers'! 

The day arrived and Milo picked me up from home and we were running a bit late but nasib baik jalan clear. We pit stop kejap at Batu Caves KTM station to pick up Emily and her friend, Aaron. Waaa….belum start oredi got new friend! Good! Good! We continued our way to the meeting point at Gua Damai, Batu Caves. Hmm…I must say…I’ve been to Batu Caves so many times over the years but never knew this place existed but then that’s the purpose of the whole #TSDayOut – to introduce us to all this wonderful places around Selangor while participating in their unique activities while making friends while being naughty (the last part only applies to me! Hehehe!)

Sudah sampai! Terrer Milo tak sesat tuh!!! 

We were one of the first few to arrive…ramai got lost trying to find the way but eventually one by one begin to arrive. While waiting, I helped myself to play at the playground. Got buaian and some exercise thingy so transfer back to zaman kanak-kakak kejap. Once TS staff arrived, they distributed the T shirt for this edition together with our roti and air kotak for those of us who tak sempat nak sarapan pagi. Good! Since I only had a glass of Milo (the drink ok!) before leaving home. This time kaler T shirt adalah….jeng jeng jeng….baby Blueeeeeee!!! 

U like? U like? 

As of now I oredi got kaler Hijau (from #TSDayOut DEMC Edition), kaler Orange (from Banting edition) and Dark Blue (from #TSDayOut Amazing Race Edition) hmm…banyak juga #TSDayOut aku dah joing rupanyer…no wonder people get confused that I work for them. 

Kanak-kanak sekalian, meh amek roti ngan air kotak! 

Anyways, since the toilet was not open yet, Emily and I went to change our T shirt inside Milo’s car. Don’t worry, we didn’t flash at each other or others. More participants begin to arrive. Loads of familiar faces. Like mini-gathering pulak dah. After semua orang dah tukar T shirt and walap their brekpas. Helena from Slackline KL began her briefing on the ‘safety’ procedure. Haaaa….takut tak? Siap kena isi form tau. Actually it’s nothing lar. It’s just standard procedure if in case you fall and break your skull…ermm….ehehehe….just kiddinggggggggggg!!! But but but…of kos safety comes first kan? 

I hereby....bla bla bla...

Listen to me if u wanna live! Gulp!!! 

Her team have already ‘set up’ few slackline, nicely and neatly tying it onto one tree across the other ones. It had few levels of heights. One sampai tahap lutut, another sampai pinggang…fuh quite tinggi jugak tuh kan? But then again, I’m a Hobbit so I felt it was high while some others said… ‘Aiseh…sap sap sui one lar!’….iyo ler tuh…sap sap sui ko. Silap haribulan jatuh cium tanah baru tau.  

Sure ketat ke tak tuh weh? 

After the briefing, Helena, demonstrated how to ‘walk on the line’. 

Gaya, mutu ke'slacker'an!!! 

Eh eh…macam senang jer, macam senang jer…maybe it looked easy to me because I used to main ‘getah’ time sekolah dulu. Not to brag tapi I was quite terrer oso lar. 

Don't scared! I got you!!!

Lepas demo, we were divided into smaller group. One by one mula step onto the line. Some did make it look simple while a few struggled to not ‘shake’ too much. 

Pegang Atuk yer Cu....jangan kasi jatuh. 

Memang kelakar tengok lemak-lemak kat badan tuh bergocang. Terus keluar statement-statement berikut…‘Damn, must lose weight!’, ‘Aku ok lar, kaki aku lemah sikit’….pfffffffftttttt…..cover line!

Caution! Watching this might cause you to laugh like Hyena! 

I'm sorry Milo, but this is too good to not post. 

After laughing at others, it was my turn and guess what…I was like a ballerina up there yo! ‘Shwinging’ from one end to the other effortlessly. Cewah….poyo tak? Ok foineeee….I did stumble here and there but that is the fun part. Falling down and getting back up again. Just like life…we fall, we stumble but we rise again then fall again….then rise again…then…well…you get the drift kan? After manage to balance my ‘walk’ in lower lines… I moved on to the slightly higher level. 

Ehem! Ehem! Ehem! *gambar disonglap dari Khai & Azuan! 

Tried to do the duduk bersila pose. Pastu….Gedebuk!!!….Adoiiiiiiiiiiii….Amma….my buntut….sakit siottttttttt!!!...eh tapi best….tadi almost berjaya so jom try again….Aummmm…..one….two….threee….crash boom bang…ok lar tu kan? 3 full seconds yo! Baru first few times tuh…if selalu practice sure can duduk macam-macam style.

Go Hobbit go...eh I mean Anis!!! Ehehehe

* Sorry video terbalik because I'm vertically challenged!

Helena’s team was on stand by helping us and giving tips on how to balance ourselves on the lines. Some of them did pretty nifty tricks on the line…loncat loncat macam tade tulang buntut jer…geram tengok. Nak try gak buat but end up being a laughing stock…Chet! Nanti korang aku gi prektis lagi. Pastu lompat sampai langit and back! Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!! The walking, falling, lompating session went on till most of us managed to walk without our ‘escort’. It was all fun till the pain attacked later that evening. 

Errr....mende ko buat tuh Adam? o.O

After the new experience, we were sweaty, tired and hungry so apa lagi…..makannnnnnnn!!! 

Final one for year 2013!!! Senyum semua!!! ^_^

Drove to a shop close by and was served with their signature dish. Since I was recovering from flu…one look at the food, I started to cry. Mak datuk hang! Pedasnya cili. Jatuh hidung aku kalau makan ni but lapar punya pasal I walap jelar . Sedap memang sedap but it was spicy. Huhuhu. Sambil makan tu, it was time to submit our five (5) best photos. I submit my not so terrer photo so no surprise that I didn’t win but no matter sebab I went home with RM250 for my blog post. Woot! Woot! Just in time sebab dah pokai.

Sapedeeeeeeeeeee sapedeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Makan jangan tak makan Boss! 

Sambil makan tuh, TS resident ‘Guru Besar’, Renuga gave her speech and let the cat out of the bag. Encik Fazly is leaving TS and so is Dian. Awww….sedihnya. These two people are simply awesome sporting giler babi kinda people I’ve ever met in my life. 

Thank you Boss. I is will mish yew!!! hewhewhew 

Somehow, despite my over nakal’ness they can still layan me. Perhaps maybe sebab tu they are leaving kot? Kenot tahan me anymore oredi izzit? Aiseh… I is very the sorry. Anyhow, good luck for your future and bravo on job well done during the past two years. Working hard to make sure that we have the time of our lives during #TSDayOut.

Wacko women I'm proud to call my friend! 

After walaping the food and collecting my ‘ang pow’, us four, Milo, Emily, Aaron and I had to chow. Another awesome day out as usual and we were smiling and laughing our way home talking about the new experience. Good to know that #TSDayOut will continue to take us around Selangor next year. I look forward to explore this great Negeri.

Setiap kali sure dapat dapat kawan baru!!! 

Sempat nak pose tuh!!! 

Now, here comes my usual ucapan terima kasih, beribu-ribu terima kasih to the wonderful #TSDayOut team. You guys did and are doing a splendid job and I’m honoured to have joined so many of your activities. Best part of this is making new friends. My life has changed quite a lot since I joined my first #TSDayOut to Kuala Langat. My sincere thanks and best wishes to you guys. Keep doing watcha doing and you will have my support in every possible way.

I've come a long way!!!
#TSDayOut Kuala Langat

Krezi Krabi Trip! 

Krezi Krabi geng! 

Amazing Race #TSDayOut'ers!!! 

#TSDayOut Sky Trex Edition  

#TSDayOut DEMC Green Gang!!! 

#TSDayOut Banting survivors! 

If you have yet to join any of their outings, you have no idea what you are missing. Trust me, I know! Speaking of which…*drum roll please…they just announced that the next #TSDayOut will explore Taiwan….say whertttttttttttttt??? Taiwan!!! Damnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!! I want!!!...now, excuse me while I go search for my passport. 

Watchu waiting for? Cepat sign up!!!