Miracle (2004)

Directed by Gavin O'Connor 

Cast: Kurt Russell (1), Patricia Clarkson (2), Noah Emmerich (3), Eddie Cahill (4), Nathan West (5), and Kenneth Mitchell (6)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - "Two days later, miracle was made complete. My boys defeated Finland to win the gold medal. Coming from behind once again. As I watched them out there, celebrating on the ice, I realised that Patti had been right. It was a lot more than a hockey game. Not just for those who watched it, but for those who played it. I've often been asked in the years since Lake Placid, 'What was the best moment for me?'. Well, it was here. The sight of 20 young men of such different backgrounds now standing as one. Young men willing to sacrifice so much of themselves, all for an unknown. A few years later, the US began using professional athletes at the games. Dream teams. I always find that term ironic. Because now that we have dream teams, we seldom ever get to dream. But on 1 weekend, as America and the world watched, a group of remarkable young men gave the nation what it needed the most, a chance for 1 night, not only to dream, but a chance once again to believe."

Did You Know? - According to Captain Mike Eruzione, coming into the dressing room in the second intermission, Brooks turned to his players, looked at them and said, "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your fucking graves." He then paused, took a few steps, turned again, said,"Your fucking graves," and walked out. Actor Eddie Cahill who plays his childhood hero Jim Craig in the film plays hockey leisurely but never played the position of goalie prior to the film.


Herb: 26 names. Tough part would be getting it down to 20 before the opening ceremonies.
Craig: This is the final roster? You're kidding me right? This is our first day Herb, we got a week of this. And what about the advisory staff? Aren't they supposed to have a say in this?
Herb: Technically that's all.
Craig: You're missing some of the best players.
Herb: I'm not looking for the best players Craig, I'm looking for the right ones.

Recently, I helped out with my friends' project First XI. The football trials, which lasted for 3 whole days, seemed like a massive undertaking for us as we were pretty short handed. But in the first part of the film, when Kurt Russell's Herb Brooks was scouting for players, it really reminded me of the First XI trials. I particularly liked what Herb said to Craig, "I'm not looking for the best players Craig, I'm looking for the right ones."

In my archery days, I wasn't the best archer. So I had to work very hard for my spot on the national youth training team. I trained almost every day after school and on weekends. I sacrificed a lot of time to train. Time I could have spent with my friends and family instead of sweating it out at the range. I guess that's what Herb meant by "looking for the right ones" instead of the best players. Because more than skill, to excel in any sport, you have to have the right attitude. This is even more so for team sports.

Herb: Well how 'bout it boys? Look like hockey to you? More like a couple of monkeys trying to hump a football to me. I don't know. What do you think Craig?
Craig: Yeah.
Herb: You want to settle old scores you're on the wrong team. We move forward starting right now. We start becoming a team right now. Skating, passing, flow, creativity, that is what this team is all about gentlemen. Not old rivalries. So? Why don't we start with some introductions. You know, get to know each other a little bit. Where you're from, who you are, go ahead.
Rob: Rob McClanahan. St Paul, Minnesota. 
Herb: Who do you play for?
Rob: For you here at the U.
Herb: Jack?
Jack: Jack O'Callahan. Charlestown, Mass. Boston University.
Herb: Over here.
Ralph: Er... I'm Ralph Cox. I'm from wherever's not gonna get me hit.
Herb: Very good.

If your team doesn't put aside their ego and their own personal agenda, they'll never be able to rise to the challenge and be the best team that they can be. But that's the beauty of a team sport isn't it? The cohesiveness of a team is what makes a great team. It makes training much easier if you already enjoy working with your team mates. 

Over the course of the film, from strangers, the players become more than just a team. They become a family. 

"I'm sorry we didn't talk. And I was wrong not to ask. So I'm asking now if you, you know, if you can be with me on this because it won't mean anything if you're not."
- Herb Brooks

Behind every successful man is a woman. Well, actually what it's trying to say is that if you don't have a good support system, it's much harder to concentrate on what you're doing, so it's a little harder to achieve greatness. 

When I was working on the program Sports@SG, I helped interview a number of athletes for the show. And a lot of them were pretty young. So in order to travel to trainings and to pay for sports equipment, they all had to have very supportive parents and siblings. But likewise, they also all felt that achieving all the medals in the world wouldn't mean much if not for their family being there for them and sharing their joy in their achievement. 

It's the same for goalie Jim Craig, who wants to play for the US Olympic team because it was his mother's dream for him to be a part of the team. On the topic of Jim Craig, I discovered the film Miracle because I was looking up Eddie Cahill on Wikipedia. Eddie Cahill plays goalie Jim Craig in the film but I first noticed him in CSI: NY. So when I realised Miracle was about the US Men's team for the 1980 Winter Olympics, I immediately wanted to watch the film. So I did.

And I love it! I was already inclined to like it because it was about my favourite team sport anyway, but I didn't think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. I was there every step of the way. I fist pumped and cheered along with the crowd every time the team scored a goal during the much-talked about game with the Soviets. It was like I was there, watching them make this miracle on ice happen. For real. 

"You better think about something else, each and everyone of you. When you pull on that jersey, you represent yourself and your team mates. And the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back. Get that through your head!"
- Herb Brooks

"Win, lose, or tie, you're gonna play like champions!"
- Herb Brooks

"This cannot be a team of common men. Because common men go nowhere. You have to be uncommon."
- Herb Brooks

One of my favourite scenes with awesome lines from coach Herb Brooks was after the team played a friendly match with the Norwegians and tied them. During the game the players on the bench were not watching the game while their team mates were playing on the ice. Instead they were talking about the girls they could see across from where they were sitting. After they tied the game, Herb made them stay back to do drills and that's when he gave them all a piece of his mind. But that was also the turning point for them as well. They all finally got it. They understood the stakes and the importance of what they are training for. And I love the look on the assistant coach's face when he too finally understood what Herb was trying to drill into their heads.

Mike: Mike Eruzione. Winthrop, Massachusetts. 
Herb: Who do you play for?
Mike: I play for the United States of America. 
Herb: That's all gentlemen.

And that's what he was waiting for. That ended the drills he made them do over and over again. Before this, they didn't realise that they were a team, Team USA. And to be a team was to realise that this was bigger than any single one of them. 

In D2: The Mighty Ducks, another Disney ice hockey feature film, Coach Bombay did something similar to remind them that although they were from different parts of America, they were one Team USA.

Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

Directed by Gurinder Chandha (1)

Cast: Parminder Nagra (2), Keira Knightley (3), Jonthan Rhys Meyers (4), and Archie Panjabi (5)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quotes - "Don't worry, Miss Bahmra. Our designs will make even these little mosquito bites look like juicy, juicy mangos!", & "Look, Jessie. You can't plan who you fall for. It just happens."


I've never been a fan of football. In fact, I'm more of an ice hockey kind of gal. But recently, I've been involved in a lot of football shows - the second season of MediaCorp's First XI (a football reality show) and weekly live S-League matches at Jalan Besar Stadium. So I've learnt to appreciate the game a little more. Which led me to re-watch the film Bend It Like Beckham. 

I'm Asian but I live in a western-influenced society. Do you know what that means? That means I am torn between my roots and my upbringing. Maybe not as much as Jess is in Bend It Like Beckham, but I can totally relate to her and her woes. My dad is quite a traditional guy, but my mum is more open minded. My dad loves watching Chinese and Hong Kong movies and Taiwanese soaps on television, while my mum would watch Hollywood blockbuster movies or any other English films on HBO or Star World. I grew up getting a very good mix of Asian culture and Western influence. But considering the fact that we speak English at home, I lean more towards the more modern western values and ideals.

Jess: I'm joining a girls team.
Mrs Bhamra: Huh?
Jess: They want me to play in proper matches. The coach said I could go far.
Mrs Bhamra: Go far? Go far to where? Jessie, we let you play all you wanted when you were younger. You've played enough. 
Jess: That's not fair. He selected me.
Mrs Bhamra: He? She said it was girls.
Jess: The coach Joe.
Mrs Bhamra: See how she lies. I don't want you running half naked in front of men huh. Look how dark you've become.
Jess: But mum! I'm really good.
Mrs Bhamra: What family will want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapatis? Now exams are over, I want you to learn full Punjabi dinner. Meat and vegetarian.
Jess: But dad!
Mrs Bhamra: No! This is how you spoil her. No. This is how it started with your niece. The way that girl would answer back. And then running off to become a model wearing small small skirts.
Jess: Mum, she's a fashion designer.
Mrs Bhamra: She's divorced that's what she is. Cast off after 3 years of being married to a white boy with blue hair. Her poor mother. She hasn't been able to set foot in that temple since. I don't want this shame on my family. That's it! No more football.
Mr Bhamra: Jessie your mother is right. It's not nice. You must start behaving like a proper woman. Okay?

Thankfully my parents aren't as traditional as Jesminder's parents. But! I remember when I was in secondary school, I wanted to buy flannel shirts and jumpers to wear but my mum refused to buy them for me because she felt that it was too manly and as a girl I should only be wearing dresses and skirts. Which is ironic considering my colleagues call me Manly Monica or Gor these days. (See the post on the film She's The Man) 

So from a young age, I was already wearing heels and long flowing dresses and skirts. Now that I buy my own clothes, it's mostly t-shirts and jeans for me. 

"Oh it'll be your turn soon ah? Do you want a clean-shaven boy like your sister, or a proper Sikh with a full beard and turban?"

Thankfully, my parents aren't rushing me to the alter. But as I get older, I really dread facing questions during the Lunar New Year period on when I'm getting married. Especially since the only cousin older than me on my mum's side is married with a 1 year old kid, AND my younger cousin is getting hitched this August. I mean, you can't rush these things okay. Chill!

Jess: Joe! I'm going! They said I could go! (Joe and Jess hug each other tightly)
Men in Background: Oi, oi, oi! 
Jess: I'm sorry, I forgot. 
Joe: That's okay now. I'm not your coach anymore. We can do what we want. (Joe leans in to kiss Jess. Jess wants to, but pulls back)
Jess: Joe... 
Joe: (quickly pulls away) Your dad's not here is he? 
Jess: I'm sorry Joe. I can't. 
Joe: I thought you wanted... 
Jess: Letting me go is a really big step for my mum and dad. I don't know how they'd survive if I told them about you too. 
Joe: I guess there's not much point with you going to America anyway. Is there? (Jess shakes her head and they hug each other tightly)

My younger cousin is getting married in August, and her husband-to-be is a Caucasian. No, she's not Indian, but... she's muslin. So like Joe and Jess, it's an issue about race for my uncle and aunt. But on top of that, it's about religion as well. I don't know if her fiancé is converting to be with her, but my uncle did. He converted to Islam so that he could marry my aunt. He was a Catholic, and back in the day, my great grand parents were not just staunch Catholics, they were traditionalists too. But, that's buried in the past  and everything worked out well eventually. But still, it's something that I really admire about my uncle and aunt. Their willingness to face the displeasure of their families to be with one another is really inspiring. 

But of course, this is very telling of the difficulties one faces with regards to interracial marriages and relationships where religion and beliefs are affected. 

Mel: So are you like promised to someone then?
Jess: Nah no way. My sister's getting married soon. It's a love match.
Mel: What's that mean?
Jess: It's not arranged.
Hounslow Harrier Player 1: So, if you can choose does that mean you can marry a white boy?
Jess: White, no. Black, definitely not. A Muslin, eh-eh!
Jules: Guess you'll be marrying an Indian then.
Jess: Probably.
Mel. Sorry. I don't know how you Indian girls put up with it. 
Jess: It's just culture that's all. Better than sleeping around with boys you aren't going to marry. What's the point in that?
Hounslow Harrier Player 2: That's the best bit!
Hounslow Harrier Player 3: Yeah. You should know.

Directed by Gurinder Chadha who herself is married to a "white boy", Bend It Like Beckham is not the only film of hers to feature the theme of an arranged married vs a love match. In her next film Bride And Prejudice, also covers that topic and is my favourite film of hers. In fact, it was after watching  Bride And Prejudice that I noticed Grinder Chadha's work. Which resulted in me following her other films like The Mistress Of Spices and Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging.

But arranged marriages don't just occur in the Indian community. My dad's parents were also married as a result of an arranged marriage. However, I don't think such matches would work very well in modern times. In the past, divorce is a taboo. But now, people have increasingly romantic notions of true love, and the concept of staying together without love present in the relationship is rare. That is probably why people choose divorce over living with someone in a loveless relationship. Perhaps now, vows should include a clause - "I, _____, take you, _____, to be my lawfully wedded (husband/wife). To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, or when we fall out of love with each other."

I've always felt that love isn't the only thing one needs to sustain a marriage. But loving your partner definitely helps make it a little easier to stay together and work through whatever issues you might face.

So when you find 'the one', hold on tight and fight for it. Even if its a kind of forbidden love.

Jess: Pinks, how do you know Teet's the one?

Pinky: I just know. When you're in love with someone, you'd do anything for that person.

Jess: Pinks, do you think mum and dad will still speak to me though if I brought home a gorah?

Pinky: Who?

Jess: No one. I'm just saying.

Pinky: It's that coach bloke isn't it. I knew something was up when he turned up here.

Jess: No, nothing's happened.

Pinky: Yeah, well you make sure that it doesn't alright! Look Jess, you can marry anyone you want. It's fine at first when you're in love and all that. But do you really want to be the one that everyone stares at. Every family do because you married the English bloke.
Jess: He's Irish.

Pinky: Yeah well they all look the bloody same to them isn't it. And anyway why go through so much grief when there's so many good looking Indian boys to marry. It's not like before you know. Now they wear good clothes, got flashy jobs, even know how to cook and wash up.

Joe and Jess have a lot working against them. Besides the issue of race, the fact that Joe is her coach makes it worse. I'm not very sure how old Joe is supposed to be in Bend It Like Beckham but I think that its really no big deal to date your own coach. Well, I think it's okay as long as both parties are mature enough to be able to set their priorities straight.

Jess: Why did you yell at me like that? You knew the ref was out of order!
Joe: Jess you could have cost us the tournament.
Jess: Well it wasn't my fault! You didn't have to shout at me.
Joe: Jess I am your coach, I have to treat you the same as everyone else. Look, Jess. I saw it. She fouled you. She tugged your shirt. You just overreacted, that's all. 
Jess: That's not all. She called me a Paki. But I guess you wouldn't understand what that feels like would you?
Joe: Jess, I'm Irish. Of course I understand what that feels like.

Truth be told I've dated my coach before. Thing is, our age difference isn't very great. He's only 2 years older than me! Mr 7 was my archery coach and we dated officially for a week but unofficially, things were muddy for quite a while. And after we broke up, my training began to suffer. Not because of him. It was because I couldn't stay focused. Archery is very much a mental sport. Yes you have opponents to compete against. But ultimately, it's just you, your bow and arrow, and the target board. It's all you. If you can't keep your focus on your breathing, your stance, your release, or your aim, you can't shoot well. And that's what happened. Instead of focusing on improving my form, my mind would wander. I would think about whether he was falling for another archer on the team, or whether this on-off on-off thing was real or not and many other things BUT my form. Eventually, I decided that being in close proximity of him was not doing me any good. And that's when I packed my bags and left for Australia. 

Don't get me wrong. I don't blame him. In fact, if it weren't for all this, I wouldn't have everything I have today. And I definitely wouldn't have learnt how to handle my emotions better. For 3 years I was a wreck. But damn it I let those 3 years go to waste and not learn something from it. And believe it or not, I'm still very good friends with him now. My friends who went through my ups and downs with me during those troubled 3 years would protest violently at my staying friends with him but I see no reason why I should end a friendship just because the relationship didn't work out. I'll explore more on this topic in the post on the film What's Your Number?, so look out for it. 

Joe: Look, I can't let you go without knowing. 
Jess: What? 
Joe: That even with the distance, and the concerns of your family, we might still have something. Don't you think? 
Jess: I'm back at Christmas. We'll tackle my mum and dad then.
Joe: Yeah.
Jess: I better go.
Joe: Okay.

Long distance relationships aren't easy. But they're not impossible. (See post on the film Like Crazy) I think the thing is to try to make it work. If you really do love someone, won't you do anything and everything to try and make things work out?

Same with a sport I guess. If you really love football like Jules and Jess, despite the odds, you're gonna make it happen.

Jess: It looks awful. That's why I can't wear shorts ever.
Joe: Jesus. That's a stunner. I thought I had a bad one on my knee but yours is gorgeous. Look, don't worry about it. No one's gonna care once you're out there. What happened?
Jess: You don't want to know.

Joe: Look. 2 operations later and it's still useless. Yours affect your game?

Jess: Nah it just looks awful. I was 8. My mum was working overtime at Heathrow. And I was trying to cook beans on toast. When I jumped up to the grill to get the toast, my trousers caught light so my sister put me in the bath, poured cold water over me and pulled them off. About half my skin came off too. 
Joe: Sorry. 
Jess: I know - put me off beans on toast for life. 
Joe: Come on. Mine stopped me from playing outright. Yours doesn't.

So why let a scar prevent you from playing football? Joe makes a very good point here. But what I really like about the scene above is Jess' humour. 

Legally Blonde: The Musical (Original Australian Cast)

Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell

Cast: Luck Durack (Elle Woods), Rob Mills (Warner Huntington III), David Harris (Emmett Forrest), Helen Dallimore (Paulette Bonafonte), Cameron Daddo (Professor Callahan), and Erika Heynatz (Brooke Wyndham)

My favourite songs - Omigod You Guys, Ireland, Chip On My Shoulder, So Much Better, Take It Like A Man, Legally Blonde (Remix), & Find My Way/Finale.


Have you ever done anything drastic for love? Or even changed your hair colour or hairstyle because of love? It's funny cos one of my recent posts The Wedding Planner was about how failures in love have made me who I am today. 

I recently caught Legally Blonde: The Musical in Brisbane Australia. It's on at the Lyric Theatre until 21 April and it'll be showing in Melbourne from May 2013 at the Princess Theatre. If you haven't gone to see it, you MUST GO! I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think it's even better than the LEGALLY blonde film! As you can tell I throughly enjoyed the musical. Why you might ask?

I feel that the musical did a great job with the character building. There are of course rather significant differences between the film and the musical. Some characters have been combined with others for the stage, which is totally understandable. But the changes applied to the characters made the story work better. Also, I love the fact that the musical expanded on the backstory of two well-loved characters in the film - Emmett and Paulette. Paulette even has her own solo song titled Ireland. And for Emmett, through the song Chip On My Shoulder, we find out more about what drives him to be a lawyer and his backstory makes us fall for him more than we do in the film. 

The musical is also hilarious! If you thought LEGALLY blonde is funny, you will love the musical even more. Yes, as with most stage productions, the actions and acting is more dramatised and over the top. But in the case of this musical, it works for it and not against it. The witty dialogue between songs adds flavour to the musical so that it becomes a great stand alone performance from the film, and without taking away what we love about LEGALLY blonde. 

While I feel that Resse Witherspoon's Elle Woods gives the audience more to chew on with regards to Elle's lovely nuances, Lucy Durack is a wonderful more comedic version to the film's Elle Woods. Reese Witherspoon's emotional performance is not seen as much in the musical, but due to the nature of stage performances, I think giving the musical's Elle a more lighthearted (read: Blonde) personality suits it perfectly. 

I first heard Rob Mills perform in Sydney, when he was playing the role of Fiyero in the musical Wicked. Maybe it was an off day for him when I saw him perform in Sydney, cos he went off key and was pitchy during the performance. While it didn't ruin my entire Wicked experience, it did make me take note of who he was, just in case I see him name come up again at any other musicals. Hearing him in Legally Blonde: The Musical, I have to applaud him for his performance. It was flawless and I really wanted to slap him, well not him but Warner, for being such an ass. And comparing to the film version of Warner, I think that the character is evenly matched. 

Cool bar eh?

When the Australian and Asian tour of Wicked came to Singapore I went to watch the musical again. But before I watched the show, I had bought the tickets of course, I was a little worried knowing that it was the Australian production because of Rob Mills' performance as Fiyero. I was thrilled to find out that Fiyero was played by another actor. A fact I only realised on the day of the musical. The performer for Fiyero in Singapore was none other than David Harris. He plays the beefed up role of Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde: The Musical, and he did a fantastic job. 

Emmett Forrest gets a backstory in the musical, something lacking in the film. And I enjoyed the fact that he has a bigger role in pushing Elle to be a better person. Legally Blonde: The Musical's Emmett also more outwardly (at least to the audience) believes in Elle's abilities and I think that was a very smart move. This also enabled the audience to actually see Elle and Emmett gradually fall in love with each other. 

Professor Callahan's nasty personality shines right through from the first time we see him on stage and I think this version of the character, though stereotypical, is more credible and less of a surprise. Props to Cameron Daddo for playing a wonderfully mean and utterly heartless Professor Callahan. 

I love Selma Blair's Vivienne to bits. Even though she was such a b***h almost all throughout the film. She played in well. Ali Calder's Vivienne was more aggressive so I find her change from foe to friend rather abrupt. But I suppose it had to be someone within the team of lawyers to remind Elle of the right she has to be legally blonde. 

I have to do a shout out for Erika Heynatz and stage debut as Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde: The Musical. She has great stamina! In the musical, she is introduced through a very funny and well staged video workout, but in it, she has to sing and skip at the same time. Then, to make things more interesting and harder for her, she has to 'pause' while the lawyers talk about her case while she's halfway through her routine (she was doing a pelvic lift). Omigod you guys! A-mazing! 

Twister (1996)

Directed by Jan de Bont (1)

Cast: Helen Hunt (2), Bill Paxton (3), Jami Gertz (4), Cary Elwes (5), Philip Seymour Hoffman (6), and Alexa Vega (7)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quotes – “Stop living in the past, and look at what you got right in front of you.”

With Hurricane Sandy on its way to the East Coast, I just had to watch Twister again. Yes, I know that a hurricane is NOT a tornado. But I don’t know why, I just felt compelled to watch Twister with Hurricane Sandy being all over the news.

I also realised something. I was supposed to be in New York City right about now. If not for the fact that I had to cancel the leave that my supervisor had already approved because of the new project I was tasked to handle at work, right now, I would have been stuck in New York City, all alone, and unsure as to what to do, where to stay and how to rush back to Singapore for my project. So to the powers that be that made me miss Hurricane Sandy, thank you so very much.

What got me all started on this twister-mode was this article in The Philly Post written by Joel Mathis titled 'Hurricanes Are Scarier Than Tornadoes' and here's an excerpt that I really liked:

"Here’s the thing about tornadoes: They’re here, and then they’re gone. Yes, they can do a tremendous amount of damage—just look at what one did to Joplin, Mo. last year. But they come and they go in a matter of minutes, and even if you happen to see one, that doesn’t mean it’s going to get you: It might slide on by while you watch. This is why you have TV shows and movies about tornado chasers.

Hurricanes, on the other hand, are like the movie Session 9, which builds up dread for most of two hours before finally unleashing its horror. We’ve spent most of a week watching this storm head our way, and honestly: The anticipation has me all wound up

What’s more: We’re not going to just watch Sandy roll by without any harm to ourselves: If you can see the hurricane, you’re in the middle of it, and it’s already too late to escape. All you can do is hunker down and hope to ride it out."

Now about the film Twister – I love it to bits! I watch it over and over again. In fact, I've watched it so many times I can actually remember the dialogue and the lines without even putting the DVD or Blu Ray into the player. Yes, I have the DVD and the Blu Ray of this film. That’s how much I love this film. I find it pretty amazing how Twister managed to pull off action-packed scenes, science facts, dramatic tension, comedy, and even a little romance in just over 100 minutes. It wasn't a crappy or sloppy job, and it even had a really great cast!

I am weird. The logical and sane part of me never wants to be in a situation where I would encounter a natural disaster. However, the curious and adventurous part of me wants to one day be strung up to a pipe, being swept off my feet, and smack in the middle of the eye of a twister. Yup I’m nuts. Anyway, logic usually wins, so I’m safe from my crazy self for now.

Is it crazy to want to chase storms? Let’s put it this way, if everyone ran from what they didn’t understand or was afraid of, mankind would not have ventured very far from our caves or discovered fire, electricity and a whole lot of other stuff. Maybe it is because I think like this that I enjoy the film so much. Although I cannot actually chase these storms myself, I can live vicariously through them and watch them chase twisters. Yes, the film probably takes a lot of liberties with the truth and the actual science, but I still like it okay.

The film makes me both fear the wrath of a tornado yet still makes me curious about what they are really like. It's scary, and I still jump during scenes when things starts crashing into cars and houses and killing people, but still it draws me in. Now that is why I think Twister an awesome film.

At the heart of it all, it’s a film about passion. These storm chasers have to love the thrill, the danger, and the science of it all to be able to do a job like theirs. Once a chaser, always a chaser. Look at Bill Paxton’s character Bill Harding, at the end of the movie, he got sucked back into the world of tornadoes. Truth be told, I love the action of the film, but also, I think the two leads Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton had something to do with why I liked the film. I loved how the dynamics of their onscreen relationship was so in sync with each storm they encounter in the film.

Bill: Jo. Things go wrong. You can't explain it, you can't predict it. Killing yourself won’t bring your dad back. I'm sorry that he died, but that was a long time ago. You gotta move on. Stop living in the past, and look at what you got right in front of you.

Jo: What are you talking about?

Bill: Me, Jo.

I like this scene the most in terms of the relationship between Jo and Bill, I think it’s because it has my favourite line in the film. Sometimes we examine the past so closely that we forget to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, or look forwards instead of backwards. I am like Jo; while I don’t live in the past any longer I am still a very retrospective person. I think back a lot. But I think what happened in your past shapes the person you are today, which in turn determines what kind of person you want to be in the future. So I constantly remind myself to stop thinking and reflecting about the past, and look at what I have in front of me.

Something this film also reminds me of is that whatever material goods we have are fragile and can be destroyed in a blink of an eye. But the most important thing in our lives should be our family and our friends. Who we love and care about is more important than any material item we can own. We can rebuild a house, or buy a new car, but we cannot replace a loved one and no matter what you do, you’ll never get that person back again. Live for the moment, hope for the future, that’s the best any of us can do.

On a side note, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jami Gertz were awesome supporting actors in this film. Their lines made me laugh out loud so hard. I guess it helped that Jami’s character Melissa is a sex therapist.

(1) Jan de Bont has also directed films like Speed (1994), Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)

(2) Helen Hunt has also acted in films like The Frog Prince (1988), As Good As It Gets (1997), What Women Want (2000), Pay It Forward (2000), Cast Away (2000), A Good Woman (2004), Bobby (2006), Soul Surfer (2011), and The Sessions (2012). She is also known for playing Jamie Stemple Buchman in the television series Mad About You (1992-1999).

(3) Bill Paxton has also acted in films like Weird Science (1985), Aliens (1986), Predator 2 (1990), True Lies (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), The Evening Star (1996), Titanic (1997), A Simple Plan (1998), Mighty Joe Young (1998), Vertical Limit (2000), Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002), Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003), Haven (2004), Thunderbirds (2004), The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005), The Good Life (2007), and Haywire (2011). He is also known for playing Bill Henrickson in the television series Big Love (2006-2011).

(4) Jami Gertz has also acted the film Jersey Girl (1992) and she is now playing Debbie Weaver in the new television series The Neighbors (2012)

(5) Cary Elwes has also acted in films like The Princess Bride (1987), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), The Jungle Book (1994), Liar Liar (1997), Saw (2004), Ella Enchanted (2004), Georgia Rule (2007), Saw 3D (2010), No Strings Attached (2011), The Adventures of Tintin (2011), and New Year’s Eve (2011).

(6) Philip Seymour Hoffman has also acted in films like Scent of a Woman (1992), When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), The Big Lebowski (1998), Patch Adams (1998), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Almost Famous (2000), Red Dragon (2002), Cold Mountain (2003), Along Came Polly (2004), Capote (2005), Mission: Impossible III (2006), The Savages (2007), Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Doubt (2008), The Boat That Rocked (2009), Moneyball (2011), The Ides of Marc (2011), and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013).

(7) Alexa Vega has also acted in films like Spy Kids (2001), Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002), Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003), From Prada to Nada (2011), Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011), and Machete Kills (2013).

The Eclectic Reviewer thinks… Twister will give you plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat, but don’t let the action, fancy tornadoes, science, and comedy distract you from the core of the film. Love what you do fiercely and persevere. Love your family and friends because you never know when you might lose them. And love like you’ve never been hurt before. (4.8 of 5)

* Movie Poster from Wikipedia

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PS: I hope Hurricane Sandy doesn't do too much damage. Friends on the East Coast, stay safe!

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Director: Guy Ferland

Cast: Romola Garai (1), Diego Luna (2), Sela Ward (3), Jonathan Jackson (4), Patrick Swayze

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - "Dancing is about being exactly who you want to be in that moment."

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is a sexy film. Set in Cuba, the film has no connection to the original 1987 film besides the similar plot, a supporting role played by original cast member Patrick Swayze, and the sharing of its name.

The film didn’t get very good reviews. However, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the choreography of the dancing and the chemistry between the two leads. 


To be honest, throughout the film the two leads mostly seem incompatible with each other and their interaction occasionally awkward and out of sync. However, the awkwardness and differences serves the purpose and story of the film well - they are after all two very different individuals from very different cultures and social class. But when they dance together, its magic. You forget all the reasons you thought they did not match well together. The music and all the sexy dancing also makes you wanna get off off your seat and move along with them. 

Ultimately, I loved the film because it was about passion. Even the underlying sub-plot regarding the revolution was about passion. Believing in something so strongly that you would give up everything, even your life, just to follow your heart. I wish I were that dedicated. Four times in my life, I set a goal for myself and followed through with it all the way. And all four times I got what I aimed for. But out of my nearly 30 years on earth, four times really isn’t much is it? 

Do you have a goal in life right now? How passionate are you about it? How far would you go to achieve that goal? Do you have an opinion about the society around you today? There’s a difference between having opinion and doing something about what you strongly believe in. Many people are morally sound and have strong opinions about various issues. However, how many actually act on their beliefs and passions?

My passion? To be an archer that represents her country at the Olympic level. 

What am I doing about it? I am going to the gym to build stamina and starting to train again to regain or fix my form.

My other passion? To write a film or television drama series and have it produced. 

What am I doing about it? I am working as a writer. Though I am writing vastly different types of scripts, but I am happy to be writing nonetheless.

What are you passionate about? And what are you doing about it? Figure out what you’re passionate about, what you most what to do, and do it. Life is too short to hesitate or think too much. Today will never be today again, so treasure the time you have right now and let every moment be a step in the right direction. 

(1) Romola Garai’s acted in films like Vanity Fair (2004), Atonement (2007), and One Day (2011)

(2) Diego Luna’s acted in films like Y tu mamá también (2001), Frida (2002), and The Terminal (2004)

(3) Sela Ward’s acted in films like 54 (1998), Runaway Bride (1999), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and The Guardian (2006). Currently, she has a lead role in the TV series CSI:NY (2010-present). 

(4) Jonathan Jackson’s acted in the film Tuck Everlasting (2002)

The Eclectic Reviewer thinks… Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is a must see if you like movies about dance and passion. (3 of 5)

* Movie Poster from Wikipedia

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Hysteria (2011)

Director: Tanya Wexler


Cast: Hugh Dancy (1), Maggie Gyllenhaal (2), Felicity Jones (3), Rupert Everett (4)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - 
"I know by the time I'm gone, women will have the vote, they'll have equal education, and rights over their own bodies. And I'd like to play some small part in making that happen." 

Hysteria first caught my attention when I found out that one of my favourite actors, Hugh Dancy, was one of the cast members. Then when I found out Maggie Gyllenhaal and Felicity Jones were in it too, I decided that I just had to watch the film. Now this film is still not shown in theaters in Singapore, but it was shown at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Anyhow, I only discovered what the film was about when I started watching it. And I was surprised, and wasn't quite sure if it were fact or fiction. 

Hysteria is a film about how the vibrator was first invented. But don't be fooled by its flashy topic. This film is also about women's place in society during the Victorian era. The inventor of the vibrator is indeed Mortimer Granville, but the facts I believe have been sensationalized or modified to make the film interesting. 

I love watching the Miss Universe pageants. And I remember Australia's Jennifer Hawkins being asked this question: "If you could choose what time period and what sex to be, what would you choose and why?". Her answer was: "I'd have to say this time period because we have as much freedom as we want. And I choose the sex of female, because females have a lot to say in today's society. So I'd say this century, today." And when I ask myself this same question that was posed to her, my answer too is today. I think women today are very lucky. We don't HAVE to stay at home and cook and clean. We are permitted to have a good education and carve a successful career of our own. We are not subjected to as much discrimination as women in the past suffered. Compared to the women in the Victorian era, we are much luckier. 

"You must admit, you men really did get the better side of the bargain. For us, its mindless housework and doting on some halfwit. Its simply not enough for me, or for most women." - Charlotte Dalrymple 

Consider all the period films like Pride and Prejudice, Becoming Jane, Beatrix Potter just to name a few, all the women during those times were subjected to so many restrictions and were thought so little of. I'm grateful to all the women in the past who stood up for women's rights and equality. It is because of their bravery and courage that women today have a say about how to live their lives, who to marry, and what kind of work they do. 

"Its very easy isn't it? To make fun of women's lives. I would like to see you walk for one mile in our shoes. I imagine that your mirth would turn first to sympathy and then to despair."  - Charlotte Dalrymple 

Men vs Women is also a theme much covered in Hysteria. Doing housework and taking care of the family is something women still do today. But the difference is that isn't the only thing they are allowed to do these days. There has been many debates over this topic since a long time ago. And today, women are still expected to be able to take care of the family, as well as to cook and clean. Having a successful career is only if you can manage to juggle everything at home first. Well, that isn't the case for every single woman, and some women have very wonderful supportive husbands. And many households now employ domestic helpers to manage the household chores and take care of the children. 

She's The Man (2006)

Director: Andy Fickman (1)

Cast: Amanda Bynes (2), Channing Tatum (3), Vinnie Jones (4), Amanda Crew (5), Robert Hoffman (6)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." 

My full name is Monica Alexia Goh Li Li. And these are just a few nicknames my friends (who are also my colleagues) have given me: Manly Monica, Monly Manica, Monica Gor Gor (Gor Gor means older brother in Mandarin), Lily G, Alex Gor Gor, Hamburglar, Go Li. Quite a number of the nicknames above have something to do with the word 'man'. You see, they all think I'm very manly. And according to them, in my office, where there a number of pretty manly guys, I'm ranked the second most manly person there. Second only to my big boss. 

I don't know if I should be happy or distressed by the fact that I'm a woman, and my friends/colleagues see me more as a man than a woman. What has this got to do with the film She's The Man you ask? Well, firstly, the phrase 'She's the man' is something my friends/colleagues would probably use to describe me. Secondly, it brings to mind the fact that some women can do the same things men can do. That is the gist of what I love about the film. 

Even if a woman is manly or does a manly sport doesn't mean she's not a woman at heart or that she cannot do something a man can do. Outwardly, a woman can be as strong as any man or have mannerisms like a man, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to be treated well and as an equal to the men she dates. Likewise, it doesn't mean that if you're a man, that you are not sensitive or shy as Channing Tatum's Duke is. Some men can be so manly on the field or in their careers yet be so sensitive and considerate regarding their partners. And some woman can be so outwardly manly yet need and crave to be well treated and respected by their partners. 

I think what women now want is to be respected for what they can do in their careers yet still be pampered and taken care of by their man. Yes, women want the best of both worlds. I want that. Call me greedy all you want, but hey, that's the truth. Not all women are like me of course, but I'm speaking for myself. 

I love watching She's The Man because of the plot and its themes, but also because of its comedic timing, the talented cast, and the allusions to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night littered in the film. I used to study Shakespeare at school, and though I cannot say I fully understand all his plays, I do enjoy watching modernised versions of his plays. Among all the modernised Shakespearean plays made to film, I love She's The Man, Get Over It and 10 Things I Hate About You the most. Romeo and Juliet is the skeleton of SO MANY films, its hard to like everything. Although Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet is not a fully modernised version, since they spoke in Shakespearean English, it is my favourite modernised version of Romeo and Juliet so far.

She's The Man also has a great cast, and my favourite being Amanda Bynes who plays the lead Viola Hastings. It is also in this film that made me sit up and notice Amanda Crew. The next time I saw her in film was the film adaptation of Charlie St Cloud. But first, back to Amanda Bynes. I think she's an amazing actress, I recently re-watched her performance in Easy A and heard her singing in the film adaptation of Hairspray. I think she has great comedic timing and I think she managed to be exaggerated (as the role calls for) but not give an over-the-top cringe-worthy kind of performance. 

This film also made me notice Channing Tatum. I can't remember which I saw first, She's The Man or Step Up, but either way, I think he did a great job in this film. He portrayed the jock-type personality extremely well, but I did not expect to enjoy his softer and more sensitive moments he shares with Viola in the film, but I did. And I totally did not think he would be funny at all but he was so funny in the few scenes where he had to be comedic. The rest of the cast, including the coach of Illyria played by Vinnie Jones (he actually plays football and is a retired footballer) was fantastic. 

She's The Man may not be liked by everyone, but I love it because it speaks to me. After all, in the words of Viola Hastings' friend Paul - "Just remember, inside every girl, there's a boy. That came out wrong, but you know what I mean." It's a film about remembering to be just the way you are, because those who love you for who you are are the ones who matter. And, just go for what you want!

(1) Director Andy Fickman has directed films like Race To Witch Mountain (2009), You Again (2010), and Parental Guidance (2012).

(2) Amanda Bynes has acted in films like Big Fat Liar (2002), What A Girl Wants (2003), Lovewrecked (2005), Hairspray (2007), Sydney White (2007), and Easy A (2010). She is well-known for playing the lead role, Holly Tyler in the televisions series What I Like About You (2002-2006).

(3) Channing Tatum has acted in films like Coach Carter (2005), Step Up (2006), Stop-Loss (2006), Fighting (2009), Public Enemies (2009), G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra (2009), Dear John (2010), The Vow (2012), 21 Jump Street (2012), Magic Mike (2012), and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013).

(4) Vinnie Jones has acted in films like Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Gone In 60 Seconds (2000), Swordfish (2001), Eurotrip (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Year One (2009), and Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (2010)

(5) Amanda Crew has acted in films like Final Destination 3 (2006), Sex Drive (2008), The Break-Up Artist (2009), Charlie St Cloud (2010), and Sisters & Brothers (2011).

(6) Robert Hoffman has acted in films like Coach Carter (2005), Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), and Aliens In The Attic (2009).

The Eclectic Reviewer thinks… She's The Man will not just make you LOL, it will also remind you to just be yourself and go for what you want. Nothing is impossible, as long as you work hard to achieve what you set out to achieve. (4.8 of 5)

* Movie Poster from Wikipedia

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