Year 2015

Hello readers,

I hope you are enjoying your last day of 2015. So many things have happened in my life and on Devil In The Skull. I have been running this blog for the past three years (turning four in 2016) and it has been a great honour to continue writing on this platform, so that you can find what you are looking for. Before I dived in for a more New Year related, I shall write a brief review on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

I know I am late when this film has been out for weeks, but if you haven't watched it yet, thankfully this film is still in cinemas. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is such a hyped film franchise and because of that, not everyone will see the same. The film casted two unknown actors which I admit they were brilliant and I wouldn't mind watching more Star Wars films in future. BB-8 is the definite highlight in the film, considering the fact it carries an important piece of the map to the location of Luke Skywalker. BB-8 is cute and I liked how it had to pestered to be quick since it moved quite slowly compared to an average human running (for their life). Darth Vader wasn't as scary as what I usually saw, however with the First Order, man, shits got real.

Moving on from what I really said, Star Wars: The Force Awakens may not be for everyone, but one can enjoy the fighting choreography. :) So if you were to ask whether is it really worth watching, I would say maybe. For a rating scale out of 10, I would give it a 7!

Back to New Years Eve, I am proud of what I achieved so far in my life. I got 11 points for my GCE 'N' Level results and got a spot at ITE College West under Direct-To-Polytechnic Programme scheme. That means I have officially graduated from my secondary school and I will be spending my two years at ITE College West, studying Higher Nitec in Accounting. I would also try to apply for Polytechnic Foundation Programme and hopefully I can get into a course I want in a polytechnic. I used to be selective over a particular polytechnic, but I am now expanding my options. As long as I get the course I want, I will be happy.

I shall end my post here, the last post of 2015 and wish everyone a happy new year!

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(Myself) Update

Hello readers,

Just two days ago, I received my GCE 'N' Level result slip. I got a raw score of 11 points which allows me to have all the options available including being able to try out for Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP). A raw score of 11 points is risky for me, imagined for example if my grade for combined humanities was 4 instead of 3. I could be ruining this biggest opportunity which any N Level students always wished to get. Even a two co-curricular activity (CCA) points can't helped much.

I spent the actual result day being worked out since there is a probability that I may not be able to get what I want for PFP. Who knows, someone better comes along and take up the spot of the desired course I want. I know I wanted to go for PFP, but I needed a backup: either Direct-To-Polytechnic through Insitute of Technical Education (DPP) or Secondary 5. That same day, I already applied for Secondary 5 with an indication of considering PFP and DPP. I haven't applied for DPP which my 11 points allows me to have so many Higher Nitec courses to choose from. I should be proud of having to be invited to join DPP since not everyone is invited to this scheme (thanks the Government!).

Why I decided to write this on my blog and why I wanted to announce my raw score here is because I wanted to make myself clear of myself. I wanted to reassure myself that 11 points is considered good for any N Level students and being invited to try out for all three options is a privilege. I may not be returning to secondary school for Secondary 5 since DPP is rather a good option (and higher probability) to reserved a spot in polytechnics. I would just need to study for two years and graduate with an awesome Grade Point Average (GPA) to join a polytechnic. I can also try to apply for PFP next month after the GCE 'O' Level result release and if I am accepted, then I can pat on my shoulder saying, "Well done!".

If I would to go for DPP, I would probably take Higher Nitec in Accounting or Information Technology. I shall not speak for PFP since the eligibility form only comes out next month and I am still unsure about the actual reality process. I will end my post here and to all the students who are taking any national examinations next year, you will have to study hard and put in 110% effort in every subjects. You don't want to graduate with a raw score which you aren't proud of and plus, isn't it good to open all doors? Here's a photo below to conclude my post. :)

P.S. Bear with me on major typo errors in some of my previous posts. Have no idea how or why I would do so, honestly didn't realised until today. For example, my post on Mr. Robot was awful. It was supposed to be a positive review, but somehow my mind was blur that day and I concluded wrongly. My apology for some horrible and disgusting typo errors in my previous posts. If you spotted any mistake, please don't hesitate to inform me.

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Movie Review: Macbeth (2015)

THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Hello readers,

I just came back from my late lunch after watching Macbeth at Shaw Theatres Lido, since this film could only be watched at city areas. This 2015 film is based on the classic tragedy play of the same name by William Shakespeare and starred prominent actors, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

As I have already mentioned the film is based on the classic tragedy play, the film itself was filmed and choreographed beautifully. Every scenes of Macbeth were like people dancing in front of the fire, so gritty, bold and violence. Michael Fassbender did played well as the titular character and so does Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth. Both gave a magnificent performances throughout the story and I can't simply put those words in English or even Old English. The music scoring of Macbeth was also well played, always hinting the audience the climax and tension of what was coming.

In Macbeth, like the original classic play by Shakespeare, it 'celebrated' the ongoing personality and character changes of the titular character from being ambitious to driving mad and corrupt over the power he greed. As I already mentioned at the second paragraph, Michael Fassbender played well in showing us the classic tragic Macbeth we all particularly knew. The scene which led me to praising Marion Cotillard so much in my mind during the film was where her character, Lady Macbeth, went back to the abandoned village and talked in the chapel to her imaginary dead son. Here, the audience were told about her thoughts and feelings (mostly regrets and sins) from that particular day when King Duncan was murdered. Indeed, I was captivated by Marion's emotional performance in that scene.

To conclude the review, Macbeth is a retelling of the same titled play by William Shakespeare. It showed us how one received a power and then kept 'begging' for more with consequences lying ahead. After all, the taste of power is usually bittersweet.

Ratings: 9/10

P.S. The film's cinematography was artistically brilliant, one can get inspiration from it.

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Movie Review: Spectre

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS.

Hello readers,

I finally got to watched Spectre today after its release weeks ago. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to wait till today just to watched the film and I would say it was very intriguing and more lively than the previous sequels including Skyfall. I did wrote a (short, crappy, silly) review on that 2012 film and if you are really interested, feel free to click here.

Spectre is a film which takes you on a memory lane from Daniel Craig's first appearance as the charming 007 in Casino Royale. In the opening sequence, the film decided to pay tribute to all the people who were important in 007's life and career including Eva Green's Vesper Lynd and Judi Drench's M. Spectre is a story about how James Bond's past haunted his mentality and physically to the extend how it shaped the man who has the license to kill.

Speaking of opening sequence, one should always looked forward to the graphics portrayed in the sequence. 007 was shown to the audience of his vulnerability and the people who he always care about. As I have already mentioned, it also shows the previous encounters which the man faced. The opening sequence indeed played so much to help Sam Smith's Writing's On The Wall in its emotions and the lyrics tying to the story plot.

Spectre in many reviews I have read, have took a special mention on the film's slow pacing storyline and steamy love scenes of 007 and the Bond Girls. I have no prejudice aganist the storyline because it helps show the audience a lot about the 007, even more than the 50th Anniversary Skyfall. Besides Bond, his allies who were Ralph Fiennes' M, Naomie Harris' Moneypenny and Ben Whishaw's Q were given the equal opportunity to shine. Despite Ralph Fiennes' second appearance as M, I was amazed by how the scenes he was in, were given to showcase his character just outside his comfort zone. Gun and chasing, it was cool. Q was also given the time to actually find himself in a sticky situation in Austria too.

For the Bond girls, I would rather talk about Lea Seydoux's Dr. Madeleine Swann. Her character was like an echo of Bond's love of his life, Vesper Lynd. Both similarities were they have the charm and the smart. I was glad that Dr. Swann did not die since it would probably take a toll on Bond like how it happened in Casino Royale. For the villains, Biofield (am I right) and C, well they were alright.

In conclusion, Spectre was an enjoyable film and I would say I prefer this to the previous sequel. Why I prefer this? It is because I am happy that 007 has closed the darkest chapter of his life and is ready for the new chapter right in front of him. As the saying goes, "It is always the darkest just before the dawn".

Ratings: 8.5/10

P.S. I recommend you to watch the previous sequels of Daniel Craig's 007 before watching since Spectre contains some references to them.

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TV Series Review: Jessica Jones

Hello readers,

I am back with a review on the latest Marvel's Jessica Jones. I just watched nine episodes of the series and I can really say it is awesome. The series starred Krysten Ritter as the titular character suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after an incident which made her retired from being a superhero. Now, Jessica is a private investigator and owns her office, Alias Investigations.

The series also starred some other actors including Mike Colter as Luke Cage, who will have his own series next year and David Tennant as Kilgrave, also known as The Purple Man. Both Krysten and David have since been receiving widespread praise for their portrayal of the characters. I like how the series started off with an opening sequence that is gritty, mysterious and feels like another Pink Panther opening, roaring with a jazz-electric theme music.

If one is expecting the series to be something like Daredevil, Jessica Jones offered another way of being a hero. Jessica is just a woman who simply takes on cases which allows her to just get her pay and get though daily life. She is also a victim like any other people in the cases she took. Despite no longer being a superhero on headline or whatsoever, Jessica still continues to do what she is good at. Stalking and spying for people who paid her. On the other hand, her enemy, Kilgrave is a man who is the cause of her, no longer feeling like a hero. He played Jessica and is always haunting her.

Jessica Jones is also a series which deals numerous cases on people whose lives were heavily impacted by Kilgrave. Similar like former alcoholics going for Anonymous group meeting, the characters also have their own meeting where everyone talks about their experience with Kilgrave. Kilgrave dominates the whole series and so it isn't difficult if you are watching the episodes. The chemistry or I would say relationship between Jessica and Kilgrave is what made the whole series interesting. Funny how the Kilgrave still interacted with Jessica, despite what she done to him. It is like how one can't live without another.

I would recommend Jessica Jones to anyone like myself that watches Daredevil or someone who feels they lack of something. Besides Jessica isn't just a hero, she also acts as a symbol for people who share the ideologies and beliefs like her: just living normally and yet still putting good use on abilities on a mudane task.

Ratings: 8/10

P.S. Kilgrave is sometimes scary and funny. #KilgraveMadeMeDoIt

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When Late October meets November

Hello readers,

I am currently in a holiday mood since school remedials have ended two weeks ago. The photo above does represent what I am currently feeling right now. The nostalgia. The snow. Cushions. I am all ready for my favourite festive holiday, Christmas!

If you are wondering why I haven't post a review on films, music or whatsoever, I just didn't get the time to really type out the post. Just last week I managed to watch a 2006 film called, The Prestige starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. The film itself was really enjoyable and there were lots of twists I didn't saw it coming. The two magicians' relationship represent some people out there. Rivalry and jealousy at its best. The more you are into it, the more damaged you become. As a result, the protagonist lost his wife to a silly trick and the antagonist suffered the consequence of actually having a duplicate of himself due to the machine he bought.

So if you haven't gotten the time to watched The Prestige, I suggest you should. Another series which I almost given up on was Sleepy Hollow and it is currently on Season 3. Ever since the character, Katrina Crane, became more developed, I hated the fact the writers chose to made some silly scenes for Ichabod and Katrina. Poor Abbie. But now, in Season 3, Katrina is dead and there is a new terror, Pandora around, man, the series is now back on track. I heard rumour about the series may get a cancellation, but hopefully with the Halloween crossover with Bones and more bonding of Ichabod and Abbie, I believe the rumour may just be a scare.

I am currently into Wattpad, where one can actually browse through stories of different categories and add them to private library. I have published two stories on the platform, Elevator and The Truthful Game. If you are interested, feel free to find my username, crushedtiggy. Yesterday, I just completed reading a story called, The Truth About Kian and I just wanted to share with you, readers. A story about a boy committing suicide, a 200 years war between the rich and poor, so many secrets. The more I read on, the more pity I felt for Kian, the boy. No human would want to experience being lonely. Lonely kills a person everyday. If you are keen on reading the story, just open up the application or visit the website, type out the title above.

I hope this new post will compensate what I missed out on Devil In The Skull. Have a good week ahead!

(Sorry for being late)

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3 years with Devil In The Skull

Photo from WeHeartIt

Hello readers,

19 October is the day to celebrate Devil In The Skull. He has turned three years old and I want to dedicate this post to him. I started this blog on 19 October 2012 to post about films, music or any other interesting stuff that happened in my life. His life is similar to my four years in secondary school.

Devil In The Skull is a blog which I never thought I would run it for years. I have previous blogs like photos and personal life, they did not make it for a year or two. I started out this blog as a way to share what I knew or found on other sites such as IMDB, a place for movies, television series and celebrities news. Over the years, the blog managed to gain some reads and views from all over the world, even to the extend, it found its viewing from United States of America too.

Since 2013, I have also checked out the most popular posts from Devil In The Skull, what I posted which made it unique. My post on the Chinese restaurant, Din Tai Fung, back in February last year saw my blog's views increased over the month and has helped me renewed my faith in continuing this blog. Last June, I posted a short review on the cyber punk television series, Mr. Robot and just an hour, I saw my blog's views increased by so much that the review entered the top of my most popular posts of that month. Interestingly, even last month my post regarding four television series to looked out for entered the most popular posts of Devil In The Skull.

Hopefully, I would be able to balance my life and blogging on Devil In The Skull. Recently, there are films to looked out for. Bridge of Spies starring Tom Hanks has been a talk in some sites including Roger Ebert's site claiming it to be one of the best films of 2015. The Walk starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also a film to looked out for in cinema and would be shown on October 22 in Singapore if I remembered clearly. Not to forget, Crimson Peak starring Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowskia is now in cinemas and I am looking forward to get a day to watched the film.

I shall stop here and hope to write more posts soon. Happy birthday, my beloved Devil In The Skull!

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Hello October

Photo from WeHeartIt

Hello readers,
My apology for not updating this blog for weeks. My national examinations ended a week ago and for the whole week onward, I have been returning to school for some supplementary lessons in preparation for Secondary 5 next year. October is an interesting month since Halloween is coming and also school holidays are coming near. There are films like Crimson Peak and The Last Witch Hunter coming out on cinemas too.

Recently, I have been freaking out over the outcome of my GCE 'N' Levels. I felt that I did not really put in my best, despite my results have always been on the right track. With friends and teachers talking about the future, I am now sinking in the ocean. It sucks when examinations always take over your mind. You freaked out when your grades are not above expectations or just average. It also sucks when everyone has planned out their future as though they know what they are doing.

Photo from WeHeartIt

Thankfully, my family members are always there for me when I felt completely useless. They would remind me that humans like to talk and talk, just like how it happened to my fellow peers during the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). If my results showed otherwise, they believed that maybe the path given would probably made me happier. Hopefully God will guide and tell me.

Speaking of which, I have changed the layout of the blog in time for Devil In The Skull's three years anniversary on Monday. I found the layout of the blog while googling free blogskins. I clicked on an image found on Google and here is the link. I chose this layout because I think it was different from all the usual layouts I used on this blog. I spent nearly three hours figuring and modifying layout from widgets to colour coding. Not only figuring and modifying the layout, my house WiFi was not cooperating with me throughout the process.

Alright, I shall end the post and what do you think of this layout? Do you think I should reuse back Blogger layouts or find more layouts similar to this on Google?

P.S. Colour coding found from here. :)

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Writing's On The Wall by Sam Smith

Hello readers,

After such a long time, a Bond song has finally been released with Sam Smith taking the spotlight. The song was definitely a moment for the singer and also for everyone who have been patiently waiting for song. Alright, I shall jumped straight to the short review.

As shown on the single cover, the song is titled Writing's On The Wall. Similar to Adele's Skyfall, the song continued the theme of James Bond's vulnerability. With all hope lost, Bond struggled to pick up himself and in Spectre, he would have to face something darker than previous installment. That is how Sam Smith expressed in Writing's On The Wall, being able to put himself into the 007's shoes. I can imagined how the opening of the film will looked like and if I can pictured the visuals clearly, that means the song was brilliantly done.

Unlike Sam's previous songs, this time he channelled a falsetto which take you to a world where you can see everything was torn and taken away. The orchestrated composition was indeed making me emotional, again capturing the theme of Bond's vulnerability. In my opinion, I did not expect Sam to come up with a song which could prove again that he is a great singer in the 21st Century.

With Writing's On The Wall being able to capture Spectre's 'spirit', Sam Smith is sure to get a nomination for Best Original Song at the Oscars. Well done, Sam!

Ratings: 10/10

P.S. Spectre will be released in cinemas worldwide (exclude United Kingdom which release date falls on October 26) on November 6, 2015.

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TV Series Review: Blindspot

THERE ARE SOME MINOR SPOILERS IN THE REVIEW.

Hello readers,

I just watched the pilot episode of this newest television series, Blindspot and here I am, going to write up a short review. The series tells a Jane Doe mysteriously appeared in Times Square with body filled with tattoos including an FBI agent's name.

Blindspot is a television series which got the characters to race against time, no matter what life or death. The pilot episode was perfectly filmed with suspense in the air and lots of secrets. To me, Jane Doe's life was revealed too quick in the episode. Jaimie Alexander (pictured) as Jane Doe somehow reminded me of Ruth Wilson in The Affair, despite both series have different genre. I liked how the pilot episode was filmed in New York, to the extent as a Singaporean myself, I seldom come across a series which decided to focus on Statue of Liberty, an iconic landmark.

Although the series has an "unknown person may be a secret agent or someone important" cliché, I indeed got myself hooked onto the episode, trying to figure out what would happened next, next and next. Truly, I think this series was incredible and I would not mind continue watching it. If you haven't watched the pilot episode, I suggest to go check Blindspot out and have a feel for yourself.

Ratings: 8/10

P.S. Funny how Jane Doe was able to read and speak Mandarin Chinese/Cantonese. At one point, she would converse in Mandarin Chinese and then Cantonese. Jane Doe sure makes a good asset to FBI. :)

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Past, Present and Future

Hello readers,

Today is the September 11 and in my country, Singapore, it is a Polling Day for people who are 21 years old and above. I know September 11 is a tragic day for some people in another part of the world when lives were lost to an attack which shocked everyone and has since helped every airport to tighten its security. Indeed, my condolences goes out to these people's loved ones who are missing them everyday.

In a meantime, back to Polling Day, I am proud of how far Singapore came over the 50 years. From a small fishing village to a metropolitan city, Singapore has been experiencing the success which credited to each and every Singaporean's hard work. Whether you are a white collar or a blue collar worker, it is amazing that our country has such a strong bond and sense of belonging such as every year on August 9, we celebrate her birthday through putting up a parade and singing National Day songs. Recently, Singapore celebrated SG50 special parade at the Padang and The Float @ Marina Bay with vintage performances like 1968 rainbow-ish peformers and the first National Service force marching.

I am excited about the Polling Day and so does my family members. We seen all the political parties' beliefs and what they would do if they were elected into the Parliament. I am only 17 and thus sadly, I of course not able to vote but to only support and read every social media feeds to know the outcome. Some people who know me personally or followed my social media accounts would know which party I strongly support. To me, I indeed want a Governmenf who can be efficient and able to maintained Singapore's peace and prosperity. So far I strongly believe my country is in good hands and sadly to say, not everyone has the same view.

There were times where I strongly disagree with the political parties' beliefs and what they could do for the country. I realised most of the political parties have lots to say about the Government. They are not happy with some policies and in their own speeches, they announced to the people in the rally about their plans. People would indeed listened and cheered with joy whenever they said about a particular policy. To be honest, these political parties may be charismatic and sounded 'awesome' when proposing policies. However, I fear those proposed policies are just short term and not long term because they do not see further down the line. Proposing a policy is a serious commitment and not just say for the sake of getting a confirmed vote from people. Furthermore, I hope these political parties thought about what they said and reflect whether will Singapore's outcome be what they set out to achieve. Being in a charge of a country is like playing with house of cards.

People may say a 17 years old person would not understand politics since the age is considered young. If they want to say that, then let it be. Hopefully, when I reached 21 years old (or maybe more than 21 since election is sometimes held every four to five years), I will be able to cast a vote and see Singapore continue prospering like right now.

P.S. I enjoyed listening to the speeches made by the two ministers on September 9. They were able to explained about the policies made very firmed and clear. Not to forget, reflect and think before casting a vote at the Polling Center. This post is written from my own perspective and has no intention of harming anyone.

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Movie Review: The Man From U.N.C.L.E

Hello readers,

I will be writing out a review on the film version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The film starred Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki and Hugh Grant in the Cold War background when both CIA and KGB have to worked together to take down the villain for her crazy nuclear bomb plan. If you are wondering what U.N.C.L.E stands for, it represents United Network Command Law and Enforcement.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E is unlike the television series, here the film acted as a prequel to the aformation of U.N.C.L.E. At the beginning of the film, we see Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) in Germany taking on his own mission while being followed by a Russian. He went to a car garage place to find Gaby Teller, whose father disappeared for 18 years without a trace. Here, the action began when Teller was seen driving out of the garage and the Russian followed. With all the clean cut car chasing and playing of language, we followed Solo who on the next day met up with his boss and all the tension started when he recognised the Russian (later known as Ilya Kuryakin).

I shall stop the plot down here, but I did enjoyed the scenes between Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin. Indeed, they kept challenging and tried to outsmart each other with what they know. Both the actors who played the characters have great chemistry as they knew what one was going to do. On the other hand, Gaby Teller was alright. In fact, Teller was never in the original television series and her addition was actually a smart plot device from the beginning to the end. Elizabeth Debicki as the antagonist, Victoria never fails to impressed me since I last saw her in The Great Gatsby as Jordan Baker.

In my opinion, The Man From U.N.C.L.E did lived up to the original television series. Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer as Ilya Kuryakin were perfect in the roles given and I could not help but to fell in love with both. The music used in the film were my jam and fitted the film again perfectly. A word to described the film: Fantastic.

If you are an original fan of the television series or just looking for another spy film, I recommend you to really watch this Man From U.N.C.L.E. However, if you are really expecting a film like Kingsman: The Secret Service, well don't bother looking for any blood violence. Like what a critic said, "More dashing than Bond".

Ratings: 8/10

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Funny

THERE ARE SOME VULGARS IN THIS POST, SO DO READ WITH CAUTION.

Hello readers,

I thought I just take this moment to write a post regarding about what has happened for the past weeks or years. I decided to use this opportunity to come out, what I felt and what have I done. The quote does justify every actions as an individual.

In school, I learned that humans at times are selfish. They only used you when they have something that you have. Friends are friends. They are just there for you for power and control. I happened to feel like an outsider because I was not similar like them. I am not as outspoken as any girls in my class. I am not as cool as the bunch of cliques that frequently make themselves known. All they see me is that I am just like the nerds in the movies, always studying and have no social life. It pains me to say this but I am just like any humans out there. I have a life where my iPad and movies are always there everyday. Books and studies aren't the sugar to my English Breakfast Tea.

This afternoon, I entered the washroom to changed into my PE t-shirt and shorts. After coming out, there was a clique trying to be fabulous. I was such a fucking fool, they were making a fucking joke out of me. This was not the cause of my frustration, but the trigger was when this girl had the gut to say, "Hmm...If you think you're one of the pusses." Okay, that girl said hello to me and just happened when I replied, she said hello bitches. The word, pussy, some may think it is just a way of saying someone is timid or frightened. I do not know what is the purpose of her saying that joke to me. What I do know is that pussy is a slang to insult a woman and also a way of saying a woman is a sex object. Another interpretation is as simple as saying the cat.

I was disgusted by the joke the girl mentioned, specially when she is a female. Worst of all, she patted on my right shoulder when she said the joke. Had I got another chance of this situation, I could swear I wish smacking her head or better still, calling her a fucking pussy. I walked out of the washroom and yup, I let the clique had their victory. Isn't it fun to call someone a pussy? Well, to be completely honest, even when one really dislike me, no one uses that word. I rather someone call me a bitch than pussy. Hopefully, may karma come and attack that precious.

No matter how much I talked or helped a person, well... I did not really have a chance to get any favour back from him or her. I learnt that I should not be too opened and shall continue adapting a selfish, "watching people dying" attitude. My kindness is in fact being used as a way to make a joke out of it. From today onwards, I will ensure I fight my way up and gain the throne in the finishing line. I want to see the day where people have to bowed down and I will walked up to my throne like a character from Game of Thrones. You see, I am willing to take any steps to achieve my goal. When I do, I will make sure people know who is the fucking pussy right now...

P.S. I made this post with no intention of promoting feminism. I claimed that I am not a feminist and everything I wrote here was a way to get into people's head. Whether the joke was just for a laugh or an indirect insult, that was way too much for person who does not know me well or rarely talk to me. If you have any problem or issue with me, please feel free to Whatsapp or message me privately. I am happy to discuss with you. You want to know the real truth or feelings, please do the same.

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4 TV Series to Look Out

Hello readers,

I apologise for not updating this blog for again many weeks due to my Preliminary Examinations and some personal issues. I believe most people's Summer is up and also Autumn season is coming, meaning there are many television series coming your way or even some coming back with new season. Television is a medium comes in either full-fledged series or mini series. Nowadays, most television series are becoming similar to a full cinema film, with bigger budget and more effects.

Here in this post, I will list down four television series to look out for or maybe as a recommendation. Furthermore, some listed here are either not specially for Autumn season. Okay here goes!

1. American Horror Story

Since its last episode back in January, AHS never failed to surprise me wifh different horror themes. From Murder House to Freak Show, this season will experience a more scarier phobia/fear which is Hotel. Hotel is interesting because the building structure somehow makes you feel trapped and lost, usually you can only access the elevator cause staircases are inconvenience. Hotel itself has attracted many unusual cases such as Eliza Lam (a Canadian student who was found in a water tank at Cecil Hotel and received media coverage for its awry circumstances).

American Horror Story will premiere in October with Lady Gaga taking on as the leading lady. On the other hand, Jessica Lange will not be returning for this season after starring in four seasons.

2. Gotham

Gotham managed to increase its episodes from 16 to 22 after receiving high viewership ratings and somehow positive reviews. Despite the series do not really matched up with the original DC Comics, the series at least provide a way to showcase different origins of the villains from Oswald Cobblepot (who later became known as Penguin) to Harvey Dent (later known as Two Face). The trailer for Season 2 excited me since this season will concentrate more on the rise of villains who will be on the street running chaos, specially with Jerome played by Cameron Monaghan, who surprised viewers for his maniac Joker-like laughter.

Gotham will premiere on September 21, 2015 on FOX (or for Singaporeans, it is on Warner TV).

3. Mr. Robot

If you have not checked out this punk, cyber drama series, I highly recommend you to watch this. Since its one hour premiere episode (leading up to the actual series) in May, Mr. Robot has since received critical acclaim for its storytelling till the fact it got renewed for second season before the actual series premiere. The first season consisted of 10 episodes and I can guarantee you that the series will blow your mind. There are in fact many twists in Mr. Robot, which you cannot forget and also leaves you trying to comprehend every bits of information. You may check out my previous review on the one hour premiere episode which was written back in June.

Mr. Robot will be airing its season finale this week and will return with the next season in 2016.

4. Minority Report

Based on the film directed by Steven Spielberg, this series is promising and not to mentioned the pilot episode was amazing. I am glad that the series managed to follow closely to the film with technology being so futuristic. The story's perspective is based on one of the twins named, Dash and if you are not familiar with the twins, the twins and their sister were taken and used for a programme that helped the police. Initially, it was thought the programme was flawless since it was able to predict who was going to kill or get killed. However, the programme has since been terminated because it was not reliable to confirmed the "murderer".

Here, in this series, Dash has the ability to see what is happening while his brother has the ability to know the names of the people in the happening. Unfortunately, the brother was kidnapped prior to the pilot episode. I shall not give out spoilers since the pilot episode airs in late September, but definitely the series is promising.

I think that is all for now and if I really have more television series to recommend, I will make sure to get some time to post it here. There are other television series which I really wanted to recommend, but this post contains what I remembered. Speaking of reviews and recommendations, I apologise for lacking of updates. In September, I will likely to post lesser stuff since I have national examinations which only ends on October 9, Friday. I really want to get my desired results and I hope you, readers will understand.

In a meantime, hopefully this post is useful. ;)

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Movie Review: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Hello readers,

Yesterday I went to watched Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation and I would have to say it did not really lived up to the previous film's expectations. The film starred as usual Tom Cruise, alongside with Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and newest member in the film, Rebecca Ferguson. The story continues on from Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol as the IMF has to find out about an organisation called the Syndicate led by a mysterious blond guy (played by Sean Harris).

I can still recalled the previous film which was shown in 2011 including the time Ethan Hunt climbed the tallest building in the world located in Dubai. I remembered having sweaty palms when I watched that particular scene and even the film itself was super exciting. Unfortunately, four years after the film, this Rogue Nation did not lived up to the expectations. The scene when Ethan Hunt was clinging onto the plane door (also featured on the promotional poster) was just a way to get audience into the cinema. It was only shown at the beginning. After that scene, the rest were just not memorable.

In Rogue Nation, the audience get to see Benji (played by Simon Pegg) having more scenes including him being on field where he attended a Vienna Opera House to find the mysterious blond guy whom Ethan suspected he would be there. The gadgets and weapons were interesting including the book which Benji took out later revealed to be a laptop (how cool was that!). Jeremy Renner as William Brandt unlike the previous film which he at least did some stunts, his character here was toned down win lesser fighting scenes (or not). His job here was just working behind the scenes and doing negotiating/talking with the CIA. The only time which Brandt came out was when he travelled to Casablanca to find Ethan and also in London.

For Rebecca Ferguson as llsa, I felt she was there to be an obstacle for Ethan Hunt. Although she did saved Ethan twice, I felt her scenes such as the finale was uninteresting. Another problem for the film was the Syndicate which initially portrayed to be such a rogue organisation turned out to be a mad man organisation.

In my opinion, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation was quite okay despite the expectations were being satisfied. I wished that they could have more scenes like those days when Ethan Hunt climbed the tallest building in Dubai because that pressurized underwater and plane scenes were not enough to make you feel "impossible". I hope the film did not turned out like this just because it pushed up the release date to July to make way for Star Wars: Forces Awaken in December. Yucks!

Ratings: 6/10

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Movie Review: Ant-Man

THERE ARE SOME SPOLIERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Hello readers,

It has been awhile since I sit down and write a review. Yesterday, I went to watched Ant-Man and I have to admit it was pretty cool to see a hero in a smaller scale. Can you imagined seeing a hero, so tiny having to deal with bigger objects which in actual fact, they are considered normal size to us? The film has much to offered!

Similar to 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel provided us with yet another hero comedy called Ant-Man. The film starred Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Evangeline Lily and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. Paul Rudd is one of the screenwriters for the film.

The story started off with a 1989 event where Dr. Pym was seen having a heated argument with Howard Stark, along with Peggy Carter who was beside Mr. Stark. Soon after the argument, Dr. Pym resigned from S.H.I.E.L.D and the opening credits come on. In the present year, we are shown a young man who was called Scott, being released from prison after three years and was fetched by his friend. Scott had hard time getting a job since he had a bad record until his friend mentioned about "a job". The rest of the story will not be revealed, which means you will have to watched the film by yourself.

Why I said Ant-Man is similar to Guardians of the Galaxy is because the film does not treat itself seriously and there were many great laughs including Scott Lang's friends who are there as a comedy's deserts. The film itself is fun because we were able to see fighting scenes in a much smaller perspective since Ant-Man is able to shrink to an "ant size". You would definitely love this film for having interaction between the leading man and the ants (variety of ants actually).

Speaking of fun and laughter, Ant-Man is a brilliant film which shows us that not all heroes saved the world for the people, but also trying to a hero and role model for their family. Scott Lang is an example of a hero who wanted a second chance, a redemption of making himself a better person for his daughter. I love how Scott's daughter is being supportive and actually a "fan" of her father, despite his troubles.

Ant-Man is an action film worth watching with shrinking and expanding objects, funny fighting scenes and even some cameos you may remember. If you are someone who is looking for a film similar to Guardians of the Galaxy or having mixed feelings with Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man is always waiting for you. Remember heroes doesn't get any bigger!

Ratings: 8/10

P.S. There are two post-credits scenes including one which is linked to the upcoming Captain America: Civil War in 2016. You have to hang in there and don't just leave after the first post-credits scene!

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June Holidays

Hello readers,

June holidays are over for students like myself and this term is a crucial one because my national examination is coming in three months. It even gets better as my national examination English component is just next Monday, 6 June. Goodness, I wish I could rewind time and take me back to the start of June holidays.

So what did I do during June holidays after my last post on Jurassic World? I spent my wonderful days trying to get ideas for my Wattpad story (which I am still thinking). I was also catching up on television series like Penny Dreadful (great show, do recommended to watch) and even spazzing on Colin Firth. To sum up my holidays, I managed to watch more British films (ultimately changing the way I read my story and English oral passages) and now I have a motivation to work hard for my national examination.

That is all for now and readers, what did you do during the June holidays?

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Movie Review: Jurassic World

Hello readers,

I will be sharing what I thought about this latest sequel to Jurassic Park, Jurassic World. The film starred Chris Pratt as Owen, who was an animal trainer in the titled attraction park. The story is about how a team of researchers created a hybrid dinosaur who had high intelligence and been under surveillance for a long time. Chaos soon occurred when the dinosaur was able to crawled out of its comfort zone and started terrorising visitors.

I will be honest to say I have not watched Jurassic Park, but so far Jurassic World was able to bring back dinosaurs which longtime fans loved and its family nostalgia feeling. Throughout the film, I was feeling the adrenaline. From the terrorising to awesomeness, the film was like an IMAX experience in a attraction park. The story plot is something similar to Godzilla, it kind of reminded us the cruelty of animals and humans' greedy intention. We, humans are the worst creatures who only think of the best of the best, leaving no thoughts about things which do not matter to us.

I recommend longtime Jurassic Park fans to check out this adventurous film as you can relive the experience of 'visiting' the attraction and take part in the wild chase between humans and dinosaurs. Jurassic World is a film you do not need IMAX to enhance your journey, you are already in the journey.

Ratings: 8/10

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TV Series Review: Mr. Robot (Pilot Episode)

THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS, WHICH MAY LEAD UP TO THE PREMIERE COMING THIS JUNE.

Hello readers,

Today I shall be sharing with you what I thought of the pilot episode of Mr. Robot. I am not going to consider this like my usual film, television series or music review, I will just talks about the plot summary and what I feel about it.

Mr. Robot is a television series about Elliot, a brilliant computer hacker who works as a security engineer in the day and vigilante in the night until he was hired by an unknown organisation. Rami Malek (known for his performance in The Pacific and The Night Of The Museum) portrayed as the one and only Elliot, who not only is a brilliant hacker but a guy suffering from anti-social disorder and chronic depression.

The pilot episode was interesting and it lasted for an hour and roughly ten minutes with classic hacking and how the world in cyber age is portrayed. It also shows how vulnerable we, humans can be in the cyber world, whether you are on Facebook or other social media sites including email. Even in any day, a company can be threatened and database can be hacked into if security is not maintained. I find it interesting that the series managed to show how information can be used to threatened someone such as for instance, Elliot used information to blackmail the targeted people like he was some kind of cyber Mentalist.

With the pilot episode being fun and promising, I do look forward to other episodes which will premiere on June 24, 2015. For now, if you are interested in cyber security or maybe something to let you hook up for an hour or so, Mr. Robot is a television series you do not want to give a skip.

Ratings: 7/10

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"Come And Get It" by John Newman

Hello readers,
I am here writing at such hour, just to recommend a song which I believed may warm your heart this Summer. The music video above is a song called, Come And Get It by English singer-songwriter and producer, John Newman.

You heard of Love Me Again back in 2013, similarly this song delivered the big band and rockish genre you asked for. John never failed to impress people with songs that showcases his brilliant voice such as his appearance in Calvin Harris' Blame. As a fan of John since the day I found the angering, heartbreaking, thumping song in May two years ago, I am pleased to hear Come And Get It.

The music video itself is simple, no complication or visual effects. Just a love triangle story between John, the woman and the man. The music video also gave a stunning, black and white vibe which makes you feel excited about summer. It reminds you of the West Coast, similar to Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood.

While Come And Get It may not be the same as Love Me Again, Cheating and Losing Sleep, the song came out with great impact and I hope to see more of John Newman's songs for his second studio album. In the meantime, you can preorder the song through iTunes (available for United Kingdom) and/or enjoy the West Coast aesthetic visual with great funky vibe.

P.S. John looking good at the scene where he was scribbling and crushing papers.

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Movie Review: Stoker

Hello readers,

I am here today to write about the 2013 horror-thriller film, Stoker and it starred Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and Nicole Kidman.

The story being about a family who have recently lost one of their members to a car accident. Uncle Charlie played by Matthew Goode turned up unexpectedly after the funeral and to the family's surprise, no one has ever heard or seen him before after many years. The film is filled with suspense and creepiness, similarly to some South Korean psychopathic thriller films.

I read the screenplay of Stoker last week and I am aware that there were changes in the film itself including the ending scene. The filming techniques and effects used were sightly creepy and no, this film is not that scary. Matthew Goode as Uncle Charlie is one handsome psychopath who has a long interest of India Stoker played by Mia Wasikowska. I can't imagined the years this man went through by sending letters from his "overseas trips", just to planned and be more closer to this "soon-to-be" psychopath.

Although Stoker did not really follow the actual screenplay, I did enjoyed the film for its thriller and the actors who portrayed their characters very well. If you happened to like South Korean thriller, horrifying-style films, I recommend you to watched this film. As you watched, the more intriguing mysteries will be revealed in the family.

Ratings: 7.5/10

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TV Series Review: Daredevil (Season 1)

Hello readers,

During the Mid-Year Examinations period (which thankfully ended yesterday), I have decided to check out this Marvel's latest Daredevil. This is a television series with 13 episodes and so far I have watched six episodes. The series starred Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, who became blind at the age of nine and since then, he has been using other senses and abilities to help fight crimes and help clients as a lawyer.

I believed everyone remembered the film starring Ben Affleck. People were saying he totally shamed down Daredevil character and the film was awful, according to what I found on Twitter and YouTube. However, characters are characters, I always believe that the script was the cause of the film's failure to show the characters.

On the other hand, Daredevil (this television series) did justice to bring out the characters, especially the titular character. Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock was great, so does the co-stars and the special guest, Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk (the last time I saw him was on Law & Order: Criminal Intent which was showing old episodes). The opening sequence filled with red 'washes' and music was brilliant, well I am a sucker for awesome opening sequence and orchestrated music.

Like what I have expected for first season, Daredevil is a television series with many possibilities and potentials. The series was even renewed for second season which I am pleased to hear but I have to wait for next year.  If you have not looked up on this television series, I recommend you should give a shot! Since Daredevil is on Netflix (if you are living in the United States or whatever) or up on the Internet free television series websites, you may actually start binge watch the series. ;)

Ratings: 8/10

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Movie Review: James Dean (2001)

Hello readers,

I decided to take my time and spent watching this 2001 nostalgic film version of James Dean. I heard about this version which James Franco as the titular character where he spent lots of research on this classic figure, even this poster tells all.

Again, as a person who likes biographical films, it is no wonder people may remembered James Dean as a rebellious, angst icon and talented actor. Although this film may not be accurate, it does showed a partial life of James from childhood to the day where he died in 1955. Franco as James Dean was brilliant, having to replicated the attitude and movements of the man completely. You don't really see him as the actor, but the James Dean itself.

I enjoyed the pace the film goes, especially how the scenes where Winton Dean (James' estranged father) and James' conversation. The chemistry as father and son was an interesting aspect of the film itself. In my opinion, after watching the film, I thought to myself, what if James became rebellious to win his support from his father since he lost his mother at the age of 9. I just can't imagined how he went through with his personal and professional life.

James Dean may only have 3 major roles in his acting credits, but his way of acting and attitude he carried shows otherwise a true talent and mysterious figure. If you want to have a look on James Dean's life and career or maybe relived the period of his time, I recommend you to watched this 2001 version of James Dean. (I am sure you will give a sympathy to this classic figure.) ;)

Ratings: 8/10

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Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron

THERE ARE A FEW SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Hello readers,

I am here today to talk about this latest Marvels Cinematic Universe film, Avengers: Age of Ultron. Avengers: Age of Ultron act as a sequel to 2012 The Avengers and better still, this latest film offered fans' favourite moments between various characters.

Avengers: Age of Ultron is one of Marvels' best yet film, offering more characters such as Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch. The film has the same problem I faced three years ago, the 'blue' lighting effect hurts my eyes at the start. Similar to Captain America: Winter Soldier, the opening was abrupt with the assemble fighting against Hydra who played a small role in the film. Basically, Avengers: Age of Ultron revolved around Tony Stark/Iron Man and his funny plans for building an army of robots to protect the planet. A lesson learnt from this film, not all technology benefits the world.

Throughout the film, I would say Scarlett Witch and Vision are my favourite characters. They are the strongest characters I have ever seen in the Avengers assemble. Besides announcing my favourite characters, I am pleased with the visual effects used in Avengers: Age of Ultron and the scene duration for every character's abilities. The stunts and choreographed fights were cool and crazy, especially Captain America and Thor's.

If you haven't catch the film, I recommend you should. I guaranteed that you will be blown away by the assemble's teamwork and the fights! Do expect yourself to have your heart crushed with characters come and go! 

Ratings: 8/10

P.S. I apologised for not being able to update the blog for nearly 3 weeks due to Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation on April 23, school work and other commitments. I stood down from my position as General Secretary in Student Council Executive Committee, and performed well for Awards' Day last week.

With SYF Arts Presentation results out in three days time, I am now hoping a Certificate of Distinction for my school's Chinese Orchestra. Wish us all the best! :)

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Lessons I learned from my recent leadership interview

Hello readers,

Yesterday I went for a group interview regarding the Outstanding Student Leader Award. The award is given to one female and male student from Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary. You can say it is a privilege to received such an award on stage in front of people, but what about the process of analysing a person?

Yes, as you can see the post title, I learnt some valuable lessons from the recent interview. I can remember myself, being speechless and having no confidence. Here are some things I learned and remember:

1. Always remember what you have done in the past prior to the interview

It is always good to remember your past activities such as handling a school event or taking minutes. These activities benefitted who you are and comes in handy when you stepped into the interview. That was what happened to me back in the interview and it sure is my biggest regret.

2. Don't get stunned by interviewer's questions

Every interviewer, for no reason, loves to throw nonsensical questions at interviewees. As an interviewee, we tend to show our stunned expression and that is a big no no. It is good that before coming for an interview, test yourself in the shower or before going to bed on preparing a "selling product". What I mean is prepare good and bad points about yourself in full sentence within 1 minute. Don't let yourself fall for the interviewer's question!

3. Make sure you have people's support and comments regarding Y.O.U

The best weapon in every interview is when the interviewer asked everyone about opinions and/or thoughts about others in the same room. Why it is a good weapon because obviously you know that particular person before entering the interviewing room. He/she can either be a friend, classmate or outsider who happened to know you.

4. Don't be too humble

The bad point of being humble is that you restrict yourself from making an impression. An interview is supposed to show the strengths and weaknesses of you. You are the product and you have to market yourself by pouring out experiences from head to toe! This is also my biggest regret because I wasn't confident to share my weaknesses and strengths to the interviewers. Bad choice right? Being humble can kill you at times!

I hope this post is useful for anyone who is going for an interview and although I may not be an expert in participating an interview, these points are based on what I can recall from my recent interview. The interview was a great lesson for me, especially not feel let down by lack of experiences of the intimidation of people.

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Movie Review: Nowhere Boy

THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN A DAY BEFORE ITS PUBLISHED.

Hello readers,

Today is Good Friday and instead of being productive on completing homework, I decided to dig into the collection of DVDs I have at home. Looking through my collection of DVDs, I picked this film and rewatched. Nowhere Boy is a 2009 biographical film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (then known as Aaron Johnson), Anne-Marie Duff and Kristen Scott-Thomas. The film is based on the biography of late John Lennon written by his half sister.

I remembered the last time I watched Nowhere Boy which was five or four years ago. Aaron Johnson portrayed John Lennon honestly, I mean literally he does looked "John Lennonzy". The chemistry between Aaron and both his co-stars was fantastic. There were ups and downs in John Lennon's early life prior to his days in The Beatles. Nowhere Boy is a film which shows from the top to bottom about how John handled and balanced the people around him, especially his mother and aunt. I can't imagined myself, being placed in a situation like him... having to choose between his loved ones.

I have to be honest with my readers that I enjoy biographical films because these films allow you to take a closer look on the person's life and also assessed the actor's interpretation/take on the character. Nowhere Boy is one of the biographical films I enjoyed and will never forget every scenes. It can't be compared to some films I watched which I shall not go into detail. If you are a person who wishes to find out more about the late John Lennon or his early days including The Quarrymen, I recommend you to watch Nowhere Boy.

P.S. The songs used in the film are my jam :)

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Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew

Hello readers,

For the whole week, I am sure all of you have heard the news of the passing of the first Prime Minister and Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. I know I am late in posting my thoughts about this great man and since the state funeral will be held in the afternoon, I decided to take some time to talk about Mr Lee.

As a Singaporean, knowing the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew's contributions towards Singapore has always be said and told since childhood. Not only on television, but also on newspapers, Internet, Social Studies or people's accounts of Mr Lee. Knowing Mr Lee's history enabled me to be thankful for the life I have in Singapore and be proud of the national identity.

Mr Lee was the first Prime Minister of Singapore and the founding father of the country. He made decisions which boosted the economy and life in Singapore. I seen his rally speeches on television this week and I am amazed by how he can moved people with his charismatic talking and strong aura, especially during the 1950s where Communists were on the verge of rising. Sometimes, I asked myself how does Mr Lee handled the stress and rough situations for many years. That is something I should learnt from him.

On August 9, 1965, Singapore was kicked out by Malaysia and that date marks our independence. Mr Lee was known for making an emotional speech in front of the whole television audience, specially the part where he could not hold back his tears. For his whole adult life, he always believed in merger, especially the merging of two neighbouring territories. During the difficult times, there were people who believed Singapore as a small country, we could not survive.

50 years later, Singapore is one of the prospered countries in Southeast Asia. There are some occasions where we are listed as the top. For example, I still remember The National University of Singapore (NUS) was one the top universities in Asia and the whole world. Without the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore wouldn't have come this far. Without his guidance, I wonder if we can still have the freedom of living or most importantly, the education we received.

As a Singaporean, we should continue the legacy that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew has left us. I believed that a legacy should never go into the waste basket and must be passed down. Leadership, for example, should be properly passed down as what Mr Lee always said, Leadership is Key. There should not be any corruption in the government as the citizens trust them to lead and served.

Thank you, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. You will be deeply missed by every Singaporean who will (and definitely will) continue what you left us. If you are able to read this post in afterlife, I just want to again thanked for your incorruptible leadership and the years of building Singapore, the modern country we are pampered. Thank you and rest in peace.

Onwards Singapore!

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