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Spider Killing Spree

February 25, 2010 in Uncategorized

I was on the phone with an ex-work friend today when I wandered to the corner of my house and saw…spiders.

Lots and lots of mini-spiders.  So tiny that you would miss them individually, but when there’s at least 50, you notice them.  They were everywhere, crawling along the walls, dangling from side to side like miniature Tarzans, creating intricate webs like Tobey Maguire did for Kirsten Dunst.

Amidst all the babies, there was one big spider.  Half the size of my palm.  That must have been the ‘Queen’, I told myself.

How did I miss this spider colony in my house?

I quickly said goodbye to my friend.  I then went and grabbed two canisters of bug spray (Mortein and Baygon) and raced back.  It felt like the numbers increased in the 10-15 seconds I was gone.

I uncapped the sprays and stood on a stool, then went on the biggest spider killing spree since Jeff Daniels in Arachnophobia.

The little buggers went crazy.  But inexplicably, they didn’t die.  Not straight away, anyway.  It took at least 30 seconds of constant spraying with two canisters to get most of them.  It then took another 10 seconds just to put down the Queen.

When it was done, I felt like Bruce Willis at the end of Die Hard.  Except I think I inhaled too much of the sprays, and as a result I have been dying of thirst all afternoon.  I hope no permanent damage has been done.

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Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

February 25, 2010 in Movie Reviews

I first came across the 1963 children’s picture book by Maurice Sendak when I was far too young, but the innovative and intriguing furry monsters on the page remained firmly etched into my mind.

And so when I saw the poster for the live action film based on the book directed by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich), I became curious.  How were they possibly going to pull this one off?  What was the storyline going to be?  Wouldn’t the monsters look really silly?

Well, I finally got to watch Where the Wild Things Are, and I was both amazed and a little disappointed.

The visuals were fantastic.  Absolutely fantastic.  The monsters came to life in a way I never expected they could.  I couldn’t tell whether it was CGI or giant puppets or both, but regardless, you could have fooled me into believing that they were real.  They weren’t identical to Sendak’s original creations, but make no mistake, you can tell immediately that they are from the same mould.

The look and feel of the film also recaptured that sensational I felt when I first read the book as a child.  It was grey and cold and just as I remembered it.  You could even say it was kind of magical.  Trust Spike Jonze to be able to deliver this type of unique, creative vision.

On the other hand, where Where the Wild Things Are let me down a little was the overall enjoyment level.  It was hard to tell whether this was supposed to be aimed at children (though it is far too dark and scary for young kids), or at adults (though it feels like there isn’t enough substance for the grown ups).  It’s a simple story, but at the same time it felt inexplicably complex, as though we were missing something from the irrational behaviour of the monsters.   There was some fun, but on the whole the vibe I got was depressing and negative.

Maybe I didn’t really “get it”, or perhaps I need to see it again, but it didn’t engulf me the way I wanted it to.

I can’t bring myself to give Where the Wild Things Are an average rating because it is so unique, so groundbreaking; I’ve never seen anything like it before and probably won’t again (until perhaps Jonze’s next film).  But did I enjoy it as much as an engaging drama, a thrilling action movie or a hilarious comedy?  Not really.

3.5 stars out of 5!

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Taiwanese Congee at its bestest!

February 25, 2010 in Food, Taiwan, Travel

Restaurant: The Village of Gruel
Cuisine: Congee + side dishes
Price: Around TWD 300-500 per person depending on what you order
Location: 226 JiLin Road, Jhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan; 105, Section 4, ShiMin Boulevard, Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan
Contact: Jhongstan store – (02) 2541 7366; Songshan store – (02) 2570 1577
Website: www.mehome.com.tw

I’m usually not a big fan of congee.  It’s watery, bland, and not very filling.  Food for people with gastro.

And so you can imagine my scepticism when on one of our last nights in Taipei, we went to this congee place called “The Village of Gruel” (I didn’t even bother trying to figure out what that’s all about).  Let’s just say it came highly recommended.

The Village of Gruel has a traditional, old-school Chinese restaurant feel to it.  Like a place you might see in an old martial arts film, except with a touch of modernity to it.

The food, on the other hand, is awesome.  The thing I always hated about congee was its tastelessness, but “Gruel” infuses its congees with unbelievable flavour. Apparently it has something to do with the special rice, Chinese herbology and cooking the pot for a very long time.

(to read on and see the pictures, click on ‘more’)

Read the rest of this entry →

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Movie Review: It’s Complicated (2009)

February 24, 2010 in Movie Reviews

It’s Complicated is actually relatively simple: a woman, her ex-husband, and the new guy in her life.

It’s directed by Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday and What Women Want), so you have a fair idea of what to expect (don’t worry, I almost vomited too).  Mature, romantic, lightly comedic and more seriously dramatic than it should be.  Ultimately, a decent film but not a great one.

What makes It’s Complicated better than I expected is the excellent cast.  People are going to have their opinions on Meryl Streep, but I think the woman is capable of anything.  Seriously, she could probably play Neo better than Keanu in The Matrix, or the Wolf better than Jason Bateman in Teen Wolf Too.  She’s that good, and her performance as Jane is no exception.

Interestingly, Jane is also a fantastic cook.  Streep already played Julia Child in Julie & Julia, and now she gives us more food porn to make us hungry in It’s Complicated.  Not that I am complaining.  The delightful food is definitely more enticing than the old people sex that we have to put up with.  Though to Meyer’s (and Streep’s) credit, that aspect of the film was nowhere near as bad as I imagined it would be.

Alec Baldwin is also terrific as the ex-husband.  He surprised me, actually, because although Jake should be a hated character, Baldwin’s charm manages to make him endearing.  The best actor of the Baldwin brothers, for sure.

Steve Martin, on the other hand, looked…weird.  Is he getting botox injections or plugs or both?  I wouldn’t let someone that looks like that (with a creepy smile to boot) near my kids (in the event that I ever have any).  But apart from that, he was great.  A subtle, controlled performance as Adam, the other guy.

It was also good to see Hunter Parrish (Silas from Weeds) in there, even though he played the pansy son who didn’t really do anything.  Oh, and John Krasinski (from the American version of The Office) as Harley, the future son-in-law, provided the best laughs.

Speaking of laughs, there weren’t that many.  That’s my main gripe with It’s Complicated.  There were plenty of amusing lines, but few were laugh-out-loud funny.  In addition, most of the best jokes were already spoiled by the advertisements which I accidentally came across (at a time I didn’t think I’d end up seeing the film).  Don’t you hate it when that happens?

When all said and done, It’s Complicated was kind of enjoyable.  Interesting premise, amusing, and both lighthearted and serious, but nothing special.  I can see young people struggling with this one given how “adult” it is, but the oldies should love it.

3 stars out of 5

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Movie Review: The Blind Side (2009)

February 24, 2010 in Movie Reviews

I can’t believe I am saying this, but I loved The Blind Side.

When I first laid eyes on the poster with a blonde Sandra Bullock and a big, black American footballer, I groaned.  With a name like The Blind Side and a poster like that, I expected a sappy, saccharine melodrama in the vein of Pay It Forward and Stepmom.

I was wrong.

The Blind Side is a film about compassion, prejudice, family, chance, and the virtues of hard work.  It tells the inspirational true story of Michael Oher, an underprivileged (albeit talented) African-American youth, and his relationship with Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy white woman from the other side of town.  As per usual, I won’t say much more than that.  If you don’t know who Michael Oher is, great.  Don’t look him up before seeing the movie.

Two things really surprised me about The Blind Side.

First, it is so much better than it should have been.  The Blind Side is truly a terrific film.  One that pulls at the heart strings without trying to tear them down.  It may have been a little sappy and a little melodramatic at times, but for the most part, director and screenwriter John Lee Hancock (The Rookie, The Alamo) manages to keep the film from tipping over the edge.  There are numerous moments that will warm your heart, but very few that will make you cringe in discomfort.

Second, Sandra Bullock is good.  There, I said it.  Sandra Bullock is good in The Blind Side.  I may have ranted about her Oscar nomination but I now think she is deserving.  Bullock’s really not that much better than she was in her other movies, but when you stick an average actress in a great film and the perfect role, anything is possible.  While I don’t think Bullock deserves to win (though I think she probably will), I admit I was wrong to compare her to Matthew McConaughey.  That was low, even for me.

There’s not too much to complain about The Blind Side.  The length (128 minutes) is fine, the pacing is good, and the sporadic humour is lighthearted and in the right spirit.  The only thing is that it’s a little too neat and tidy.  There are some very ugly issues underlying the film, but it never felt like they were properly confronted.  Too sanitised, perhaps, and consequently missing that raw emotional power.

It would have been easy to dismiss The Blind Side as a “white people are so wonderful” movie, except that it is a true story.  Romanticised, perhaps, but a true story nonetheless.  That’s what makes it remarkable.  Every time you think things are too good to be true, you just have to remind yourself that it (or something like it) actually happened.

Movies based on inspirational true stories aren’t supposed to actually leave you feeling inspired, but somehow, The Blind Side does.

4.5 stars out of 5!

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