I was inspired by the romance of the movies this weekend while watching The Last of the Mohicans. Although I am a huge movie nut, I am never one to sit through rom-com flicks.

Let’s put it in perspective. I intensely dislike watching rom-com flicks – yes, I’ve seen almost all the classics and some of the biggest duds like Down with Love, Serendipity, No Reservations (why the hell did they have to tamper with a great original like Bella Martha?! Oh wait, Americans…figures), etc. I’m cheesed off especially if I have to sit through 90 mins of droll dialogue, uninspired directing and insipid acting that will reach a predictable ending. Bo-ring! See, this is the reason I read romances instead of watching them. Somehow in the books, the characters have much more life and spice which get lost in translation when they appear onscreen.

My notion of romantic movies is that they have to be entertaining but with a dash of reality. The actors have to have chemistry and the script cannot too silly, clunky or unbelievable. Most importantly, it has to touch the viewer and make you feel that you too, want to be saved by or loved by someone like that. Sadly, most of the factory-like rom-coms today possess neither the charm nor the sparkle that movies like When Harry Met Sally, Dirty Dancing, The Mask of Zorro or even the quirky In & Out had.

So what sort of ‘romantic’ movies do I watch? Let’s look at the list, shall we?

1. The Last of the Mohicans – I love, love Michael Mann. Even though he didn’t read the bloody book before and during the shot, he captured the romance, the wars and brought the characters to life almost effortlessly. The romance was built into the plot and you felt each and every nuance of pain, love and loss. Tell me, which girl didn’t want Hawkeye to come save them too?
   
2. Grosse Pointe Blank – Ah, this one is the interesting romantic comedy. Hit man reluctantly goes to his high school reunion, he’s on assignment, he meets the ex-flame that he stood up and he’s also being chased by a rival. What the hell’s he supposed to do? Smart, witty script, sparkling characters coupled with small bursts of action = one really fun movie.
   
3. Amelie – It’s French, it’s quirky and it introduced us to Audrey Tatou. This is one of the most implausible romantic comedies every, but its warmth and charm drew everyone into Amelie’s world and you naturally ended up rooting for its crazy heroine.
   
4. Rent – Friendship, love and loss. Although the movie version didn’t do justice to this classic musical but the fact that they reunited almost all the original cast still touches the heart. The years have added color to the songs that were not there when these actors performed their characters so many years ago.
   
5. Rob Roy – The romantic hero with a woman who possessed a spirit that was unshakeable and as strong as her man was. Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange had a chemistry that very few actors have with each other and that was what lifted then entire movie.
   
6. Sin City – Film noir, anyone? Granted this is not romantic in any way but what I loved was how they brought the characters to life, everyone looks so bloody tormented, so sad, sigh…
   
7. Chasing Amy – Ben Affleck was cool once. He was cute and witty back when he was the baffled comic book artist in love with the lesbian in this classic Kevin Smith movie. And he gets his wish too…Oh wait, didn’t I say this was a Kevin Smith movie. Expect weirdness…
   
8. The English Patient – Only ardent movie fans need apply here for this movie richly rewards those who have the patience to sit through it all. Its characters are complex and the relationships complicated but the cinematography and the script are first-class. Hence the accolades.
   
9. The Age of Innocence – Forbidden love, deceit and desire set in 1800s America. Should you marry someone just to uphold a perfect front or marry someone that you truly desire? Hey, maybe Singaporeans should watch this too…
   
10. 50 First Dates – This one almost didn’t make the cut but I figured, since Adam Sandler tried so darned hard to get Drew Barrymore to remember him, it’s worth all the silly vomiting walruses, the weird German chick and even Rob Schneider.

I’m thinking that I’ll hibernate at home with my DVDs next weekend. Gosh knows it’s too darn hot to go out and the movies that are repeated during the festival holidays suck.

Fooled! That my post didn't load...bloody buggering hell...

Living in Singapore can sometimes be a stifling affair.

The government is constantly trying to tell everyone that they are pro-arts, pro-creativity, pro-this, pro-that the only thing they are a pro at is probably givng the people some false hope...or prozac... It could seem like a cruel joke but sometimes, I feel that Singaporeans are living in a real-life Matrix, heck, they probably based the movie on us! But I digress...

Anyhoo, the latest victim of the gahmen's ban-happy policies is of course, Madonna's Confessions Tour Video. How can banning this seemingly controversial DVD possibly help Singaporeans? The one thing the ban will help is of course, drive sales for the video. All that talk about how Singaporeans should be more net savvy? Well, we are and we have been so for many years.

I'm just disapopinted that the government had to force us to use other channels to obtain the stuff that we want. I don't see their point though, like most of the online community, I've also seen the Live to Tell video and while I agree that it is controversial, the performance was very affecting. It spoke to the teenagers and appealed to more than just Madonna fans. The song identified with teenagers who felt isolated and lost and showed viewers the plight of the children in Africa who are suffering from AIDS.

And while the ban only warranted a story in a local rag, the gay community as well as a few of my friends are up in arms with angry cries of What the hell is the government thinking?! Another BAN?! A friend pointed me in the direction of an article in Fridae.com where 34 readers have since posted their comments. Snide comments? Warranted? Of course. The local censors seem to be teasing Singaporeans with their weird sensibilities.

My question is this: Are we truly protecting religious sensibilities or just stifling our people on the pretext of religious sensibilities? Remember The DaVinci Code? Practically everyone had a comment and China went on to ban it. So, why did Singapore pass it uncut and yet choose to ban the Madonna DVD? The public is right in saying that we practice double standards for censorhip as we could cite the same arguments that were used to release The DaVinci Code to defend the release of the Madonna video. This is just entertainment and the public should be able to decide for themselves.

Yes, Madonna used religious symbols and yes, it is a publicity stunt - but it was effective as it gained her the attention and made people sit up to the cause. Why doesn't anyone ask how much money she raised instead? With all the access to overwhelming amounts of information at the click of a mouse, entertainers, businesses and even citizens themselves have to think of more creative ways to stand out from the crowd. So why should anyone be surprised? Media watchers should be aware of her antics by now, gosh, Madonna's been in the business since the 80s! To gasp and point over her antics like feeble old ladies is unbecoming of a country who declares their intentions of becoming a regional media hub. More like media snob! I wonder, how many memebrs of the censorship board have seen the video? The biggest irony would be that they are circulating it among themselves and doing it like the rest of us plebians; watching it in secret. Ah gahmen, gahmen...

Don't get your panties in a twist, people. This is but entertainment. Think for a second. If the performace excluded any of these tactics, would we still watch it? How many of us would even remember the song? Would you rather watch a performance that provokes a reaction or would you rather watch some boring home-made TV variety show with lip synching celebs?

At the end of the day, the local agencies only have themselves to blame for their authoritarian image. Releasing a handful of old movies that no one remembers or even some gay-themed Oscar-winning movies cannot redeem them from their stuffy box, especially since they insist on practicing double-standards censorship. Giving the people a teensy bit of choice makes no difference. Just give us choices and let us decide!

I’m baaaccckkk! :o)

There's nothing like a holiday to fire up the synapses. I got to meet a whole bunch of new people, made new friends and of course, shopped like there was no tomorrow. The wedding as you can see in the photos was gorgeous. Thanks Tiff & Kevin for having us over!

So, what was different on this trip? Apart from the fact that we ran around a lot, and crammed in many things into an already packed schedule…we were also introduced to a bunch of guys – which is fantastic but here’s the thing. Mind you, what I’m about to say will not be wholly mind-blowing but still… one familiar thing that came up during the course of the trip was that ...guys, regardless of age, nationality or type seem to be looking for that same thing. A woman or in some cases a girl that is petite, slim, and great to look at. Brain matter is optional. *eye-roll* W-T-F, indeed.

What ever happened to looking for inner beauty? Apparently in the rush to settle down, have an active lifestyle, a stable job and on top of that to maintain the lifestyle that we are getting used to, more and more people seem to be overlooking one thing. That getting to know someone new could be an adventure on it’s own. True, you may have grown up with certain qualities that you would want your other half to have but the question is; is that what really matters? I’ve come across people who’ve practically dictated a list of that their other half has to be of a certain height or size or even mentality but then when faced with the real thing. They cringe or even falter and then, somehow end up with someone who could be a total opposite from what they imagined but ultimately; they are a good match.

Close friends have been ragging me for years about my inherent abilities of somehow going for guys who seem to fall into my height range – ie, they are short. It’s an amusing fallacy but what I want to say is this – I like guys, regardless of their height, or age or anything. Now unless I find out that he’s a complete asshole, then I’d drop him but in general, I don’t have a list of physical qualities that I go for. I usually find that very hard to define. Looking at my sporadic dating history, I can safely say that I don’t have a set type. So people, I know you are well meaning – but stop going down this road. Frankly, I am sick of it and yes; I can find my own guys. Now, if only they’d get a clue.

What is difficult is getting the guys to actually see you. What usually happens is that they are so blinded by their ‘ideal’ type that they usually fail to notice who is before them until it’s too late. And then bitching and moaning on both sides will begin.

Another new thing I that stumbled upon is that guys are becoming more like women. It’s sad but true. Ladies, the men have caught on and now, they seem to enjoy being pursued! Men, stop being a pain in the ass, women enjoy being the pursued. This is one thing that I am grappling with. I mean, yes I do ask the occasional guy out but after a while, it would be great to see some reciprocation or if not, at least say, thanks but let’s remain friends.

More and more guys seem to be taking a back seat in dating. It's like they expect the girls to be doing everything; from pursuing to looking after them to even paying for them. I'm all for equality between the sexes but this is really disgusting. It’s a scary new phenomenon, really. Admittedly, I’d love to have a guy to ask me out but to be the one doing the chasing all the time is tiresome. And ladies, if a guy steps up to the plate, please play nice. Don't get all huffy over a date. It's uncool to be a simpering bitch. To the guys, yes, a girl can wait to be asked but to wait until she grows moss is bloody ridiculous. I figured it would take some time before both sides will eventually meet in the middle on this one. Damn susah, I say!

So in all actuality, guys are the same no matter where they come from. And yes, some can be inherently stupid. What differs is that they seem to mature or at least have a better idea of what they want as they get older. As do women. But until that happens, we are all still shallow beings that would prefer to have an ideal that we can look towards as opposed to having someone that really sees us for who we are and that’s what really counts.