Why you should care about the success of 'Inception'

The summer blockbuster season is a time of high stakes for film studios. It's obvious why this is so. Since Spielberg's Jaws opened to, well, jaw-dropping numbers (hur hur) in 1975, Hollywood has successfully conditioned audiences to to expect high octane, larger than life, 'popcorn' movies during the months May through to August. From Raiders of the Lost Ark to Pirates of the Carribean, these summer blockbusters have budgets that run in the hundreds of millions, but have the potential to rake handsome, Apple-eque profits (ok, maybe not quite. But you get the point). Summer blockbusters define the term, 'high risk, high reward'.

Because of the risk of massive losses if an expensively-produced summer movie flops at the box office, Hollywood typically tries to play safe in choosing to produce movies that appeal to the lowest common denominator, which has often resulted in the criticism that summer is the time of dumb, brainless movies. To be fair, there have been many a great summer blockbuster - the original Star Wars trilogy, many of Spielberg's works like E.T. or Jurassic Park, and Nolan's The Dark Knight are just some of the few that come to mind. However, it seems that Hollywood has become increasingly risk-averse in recent years in terms of summer fare. Because of ever exploding budgets (Spidey 3's reported production budget was over 250 million, for example), movies' return on investment have continually decreased, and studios are less and less willing to greenlight original ideas, choosing to bankroll blockbusters only if they already have a built-in audience.

What does this mean? You guessed it - Sequels! Let's examine this summer's movie line-up for example: There's Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, Twilight 3, Sex and the City 2, Predators (I don't know how many there's been). If it's not sequels, it's movies based on a book/comic/TV series/video game - Again, Iron Man, Sex and the City and Twilight, The Last Airbender, The A Team, Jonah Hex, Prince of Persia. Remakes/'Reimaginations' is the latest low Hollywood has hit - See Robin Hood, or The Karate Kid (except now with kung fu, and a black kid!). Even when ideas seem original, they're not - Knight and Day and Killers both feature the shenanigans between a gun-toting dude (Cruise and Kutcher) and his clueless, klutzy paramour (Diaz and Heigl) Basically, studios are afraid of plunking down the cash, unless a big opening weekend based on a built-in audience is guaranteed. 

I'm not saying that sequels, remakes, movies based on other source material cannot be good. The glowing reviews of Toy Story attest to the fact that they can. It's that this trend has lead to an increase dichotomy where big budgets is reserved for dumb summer fare while quality original material has to be 'indie' and made with about 20 bucks.

Additionally, there's a new trend of 3-D movies. Post-Avatar, studios are hastily converting already shot movies into 3-D ones in post production, resulting in shoddy 3-D productions in The Clash of the Titans (remake!) and The Last Airbender, for example. It's a great excuse to charge higher prices for tickets to compensate for declining sales. Now, I have no problems with 3-,D but the film purist in me does not want 3-D movies to become the status quo for blockbusters. Roger Ebert explains why the 3-D trend is not a good thing here.

This is where Inception comes in. Now the film's marketing has likened it to The Matrix meets Bond, but Inception is definitely an original idea. It's a risky one, what with its high-brow dream-within-a-dream concept, and the only reason Warner Bros was willing to produce the cash for it was Christopher Nolan. Thanks to Batman Begins, and more importantly of course, The Dark Knight, Nolan has essentially become the God of WB, which means he has earned the right to obtain the US$200 million shooting budget needed to realise his vision for Inception. Nolan is also a traditionalist, who refused to release Inception in 3-D because he's not willing to compromise on the loss of certain qualities that would result in a 3-D conversion. Inception is one of the rare summer releases that will screen solely on 2-D theatres.

The film is released this coming weekend and advanced reviews have been more than positive overall. It also has a star-studded cast led by Leonardo Dicaprio. Combine those two factors with the fact that Nolan has garnered himself a legion of fanboys post-Batman (I'm one of them) who will unquestionably support his films and you have a recipe for box office success. Or so WB hopes. Because even with the cachet of Nolan, Dicaprio et al, Inception is still quite a risky venture. Rare is the studio that plunks $200 million in an original summer movie, much less an esoteric one about "dreams states".

This is why you should care about its success. Reviews have not all been published, but I'm willing to hazard a guess this will be a good film. It will most probably end up at 80% fresh on RottenTomatoes.  If that, coupled with the "From the Director of the Dark Knight" tagline, does not entice people to the movie, then I don't know what will.

The Dark Knight's success showed studios that dark, serious popcorn fare can make bank at the box office too. But it ultimately was a franchise based on one of the most popular comic book figures in the world. Inception is altogether a different kettle of fish. If it succeeds, Hollywood will perhaps see that it can be worthwhile to take some risks and invest in original scripts for the summer, and not just rely on established franchises. It will perhaps also stem the tide of 3-D films coming our way, and show that a good film done in 2D can and will bring in a large audience.

The future of Hollywood could very well depend on the success of Inception. Hands up those of us who want edgy, challenging and exciting summer extravaganzas! That is why if you love films even just a little bit, it is your duty to go see Inception!



Postscript: I guess if all else fails, we will always have Pixar.

My guide to losing weight

It's 4.40am, and I can't sleep due to jetlag, having just returned home to Singapore from the UK a couple of days ago. And I suddenly had an epiphany (slight exaggeration) that I felt I ought to share with the world.
It turns out that there is a way to lose weight, or at least not gain weight, even if one is lazy. The key is to have a strong desire for nice teeth.
So everyone knows eating not long before you sleep is not good for you. At night, your body's metabolic rate slows down, so it won't have time to burn the calories of the food you took in. It gets converted to fat instead. A typical sign of a serial supper eater (that's the post-dinner meal, and not dinner itself, for any British readers out there) is a nice round tummy on an otherwise healthy-looking frame.
Like many others, I too have this penchant for snacking before sleeping. These late night World Cup/Wimbledon viewing sessions have not helped the cause. And so in my insomnia tonight, my hunger pangs struck of course. Big time. But, I managed to control myself from eating. Why? Because I had brushed my teeth. And more importantly, because I had already flossed.
See, that, ladies and gentleman, is the key to solving the obesity problem in developed countries. Have kids develop really good dental hygiene habits, and make them as meticulous as possible.
I'm quite thorough in my flossing, taking usually 10 minutes to complete flossing my 28 teeth (4 gone from wisdom teeth extraction). So even though as I'm typing this, my stomach is screaming out in need for the ice cream in the freezer as badly as Tom Cruise needs a hit movie to salvage his career (see: Knight and Day flopping), I resisted. Simply because I thought: I'd have to go through the whole damn process of brushing and flossing again. Too tedious. No way. I get to remain svelte. Yay!
Folks, there you have it. A combination of discipline (to floss nightly) + laziness (to not want to go through the hassle of 10 min of flossing more than once each night) ensures you and your child gets to be slim and trim (and have clean teeth!). Yay again!

[Liability escape clause: This weight loss method has not been endorsed by the FDA. The author shall not be responsible for any grumpiness caused in adherence to the above plan. Results may vary for individuals.]

Just a game?

So I read Herman and Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent for my tutorial, and while researching for my essay, also visited Chomsky's website where I read several interviews he gave about the book.

This was a very interesting excerpt:
_______________________________________________________________

QUESTION: When we talk about manufacturing of consent, whose consent is being manufactured?

CHOMSKY: To start with, there are two different groups...One is what's sometimes called the political class. There's maybe twenty percent of the population which is relatively educated, more or less articulate, plays some kind of role in decision-making. They're supposed to sort of participate in social life -- either as managers, or cultural managers like teachers and writers and so on. They're supposed to vote, they're supposed to play some role in the way economic and political and cultural life goes on. Now their consent is crucial. So that's one group that has to be deeply indoctrinated. Then there's maybe eighty percent of the population whose main function is to follow orders and not think, and not to pay attention to anything -- and they're the ones who usually pay the costs.

He then continues:

Now there are other media too whose basic social role is quite different: it's diversion. There's the real mass media-the kinds that are aimed at, you know, Joe Six Pack -- that kind. The purpose of those media is just to dull people's brains.

This is an oversimplification, but for the eighty percent or whatever they are, the main thing is to divert them. To get them to watch National Football League.... Take, say, sports -- that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it -- you know, it offers people something to pay attention to that's of no importance. [audience laughs] That keeps them from worrying about -- [applause] keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And in fact it's striking to see the intelligence that's used by ordinary people in [discussions of] sports [as opposed to political and social issues]... You know, I remember in high school, already I was pretty old. I suddenly asked myself at one point, why do I care if my high school team wins the football game? [laughter] I mean, I don't know anybody on the team, you know? [audience roars] I mean, they have nothing to do with me, I mean, why I am cheering for my team? It doesn't mean any -- it doesn't make sense. But the point is, it does make sense: it's a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements -- in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism. That's also a feature of competitive sports.
_______________________________________________________________

I thought my coming across Chomsky's insight was really timely given the FIFA World Cup that's just started (and that fact that I just gushed all about Man Utd in a previous post), and the jingoistic fervour and excitement that accompanies it. Ever since reading the above, every time I get my entertain/sports news fix, I think to myself: I'm part of the brainwashed, depoliticized, dumb-ass 80% of the populace. Gulp.

Kenny made a really funny point when I shared this finding to him. This system of distraction was essentially the same one the Romans employed for their citizens - think the Gladatorial activities, which were also meant to divert the citizens' attention away from the problems the Empire might be facing.

The big difference between us and the Romans, however, is that while the Romans got to enjoy their Gladatorial sports for free (entry into the colisseums was free. Bread was given out for free at the shows too), we modern-day dumb-asses actually shell out a lot of hard-earned money to get entertained. The powers that be don't even need to entice us with freebies.

Oh, how we've regressed. LOL.

The Holy Pilgrimage Pt. 1

Ok, so throughout my travels this past year, I've actually been pretty faithfully journaling each trip, but I've only posted summarized thoughts on them because I didn't think the world needed minute-by-minute accounts of my holidays. But, I decided to break the trend for this trip, because it's Manchester freakin' United! So there'll be 2 parts to this post: the first is a more straightforward chronicle of events and the second will be random thoughts along the lines of this or this. Please excuse the rambling!

only blue you'll see in this post!

Day 1:
So on the historic days of April 23/24, I finally made my long-awaited pilgrimage to the Holy Land, aka Old Trafford, Manchester. Thanks to the generosity of a friend, I manged to snag a pair of season ticket passes and invited fellow Man United fan Way Cherng along for a trip up north to catch United in their penultimate home game of the season against Tottenham Hotspurs.
We took a 0730 train on Friday and from Oxford, it was a 3 hour ride to Manchester Piccadilly station, the central train station there. When we arrived, we took the tram to the stop named Old Trafford which is of course where the stadium is near and also where our hotel was located. After checking in and getting a pub lunch at Wetherspoon's, we proceeded to OT for our stadium/museum tour.
The museum was great, especially the section on the Munich aircrash. I was aware of the history of the tragedy but being there, reading all the info and looking at the photos/old newspaper reports, I really felt kinda emotional. This incident was the football equivalent to the day the music died, definitely. It was amazing how Bobby Charlton bounced back to win the World and European Cup!

And as for the stadium, what can I say. Way better than the Santiago Bernabéu! We got to visit the players' dressing room, where there were tactics white boards and a TV. Just imagine Sir Alex giving one of his trademark hairdryer treatments there!

Treble season, baby!

Legend

After the stadium tour (which inevitably ends at the merchandise store), it was time to shop the vast United megastore, featuring all sorts of crap you can think up of, from Man United candy to rugs. *Sheer bliss* I got a jacket, and a 07/08 Champions' League DVD on the cheap.

MUFC candy? Doubt it's M&S quality though.

...and grass(!) lol.

Sir Alex in his youth! Amazing!

After departing OT, we took the tram back to Manchester city centre, and did a walking tour of it. We had dinner in Chinatown, and the waitress who served us in the restaurant turned out to be local! She was a Malaysian Chinese who had lived in Singapore for a long time, in Tampines even! We went back to the hotel after dinner to rest.

oh, we had time for a helicopter ride around the stadium too.

Day 2 (Match day!):
After an English breakfast at the hotel, it was time to head to the stadium for the game. WC and I each bought a Love United, Hate Glazers yellow and green Newton Heath scarf before heading in. Our seats were on the East end, pretty near to the action really. United attacked our end in the first half, but sadly, all three goals they scored occured in the second, so we only got to see the Ledley King goal up close. Also, Rooney had the audacity to miss the one match that I came to watch? The nerve! =(

Players warming up, doing that zig-zag body twisting thing I used to do during badminton training too!

Players having emerged from the tunnel.

Setting up for a FK. Can't remember if it was Nani or Gigg who took it.

United won the match 3-1 at the end, with Giggsy converting two penalties and Nani contributing an exquisite individual goal that kept our title challenge alive. You could feel the air of hope and positivity lingering after the match ended. It was not to be, as the events in May informed us, but I am so grateful the team won, putting the cream on top of the proverbial strawberries (thought this'd be a more apt metaphor for England, no?) (or the vinegar on top of fish and chips perhaps).
After the match, we walked back from OT to the city centre (the trams being crazily packed, of course), which took some 45 minutes, I'd say. We went to eat at the food court in the main mall there. Western food courts are not quite like those in Singapore, where you have stalls selling a vast array of hawker-type food. Here, food court stalls are more likely to consist of McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, and some sandwich shop. There was, however, a Chinese stall there so WC and I both had roast duck/char siew rice (yes, we both love our Chinese food). Not quite local standards, but mai4 hiam2, buay3 pai4.
Then, we headed to a coffee shop to hang out and read the matchday programme before taking the 1936 train back to Oxford, where Trinity term awaited.

yay! WC looks joyful, to say the least!

remember that, folks!

(W)Hole Again

Following this post, my jeans are now all patched up thanks to the sewing skills of Melissa. Thank you very much!

As can be seen (ok, maybe not really), she cut away the dangling flab of cloth from the right pocket and used it to cover the hole.
Unfortunately, for the second pair of hole-y jeans, Mel used the same reparation method, except this time she deliberately cut out cloth from the right jean pocket (which is where I always put my wallet. Gotta be careful now!) to use as cover.
Oh well! I'm glad to have my jeans back, now with none of the holes and double the edge!

Journalin' Berlin

The Berlin Diaries (Isherwood inspired of course)

1. So on the day of the trip, I walk out of my apartment to head to catch my coach to airport. Walking past the neighbouring apartment, I see Hayleigh, who's actually traveling with me to Berlin. But because we booked our flights at different times, we're taking separate flights. She's flying Easyjet from Luton, whilst I'm doing Ryanair from Stansted. I have to wait for her at Berlin Schonefeld airport for about an hour. Meanwhile, our third travel mate, Caleb, is flying in from Paris and meeting us at the hostel at about 2350 that night. Such jet setters we are.

2. You know how restaurants do those really value-for-money set lunches to draw crowds in on quiet weekday afternoons? Well, the Germans of course do that as well, and they term them 'business lunches'. Sounds classier, I guess.

3. Berlin is quite a contrast from other major Western European cities. Unlike Paris or London with their gazillion year old quaint buildings and small, narrow roads, Berlin is half old buildings and half steel/glass minimalistic modernity. Not surprising considering the city was bombed into oblivion half a century ago.

At the Holocaust Memorial

4. Said steel and glass architecture, with their funky shapes, combine with the graffiti found all over to give Berlin a really edgy feel (I've been watching too much Project Runway I think.) The graffiti here is pretty darn cool, gotta say.

5. Oh, also unlike other European cities, there isn't a pigeon population the size of India + China. Sure, there's the odd one or two (or three or four) here and there, but it's not the kind of swarming over you like Singaporeans at a McDonald's circa the Hello Kitty craze that you find in Trafalgar Sq. or outside the Notre Dame.

6. There are tonnes of Vietnamese eateries all over Berlin. Was there a Vietnamese exodus to Germany that I missed out on? The pho I ate at this one restaurant was no where near as good as the one I had in Paris though.

7. Berliners are definitely not quite as fashion forward as Parisiens or Londoners even. The standard uniform seems to be: Hiking boots, jeans, simple top with a weatherproof jacket over it.

8. That said, there're plenty of individuals with outrageous and unique styles that I came across - like dudes with shocking blue or pink hair, as I had expected from what's been termed the new NYC.

9. The Berlin metro system is probably the most confusing one I've come across in Europe. There's the S-Bahn, the U-Bahn, the autobahn (ok not counted), the regular trains, a lack of clear signboards, ticket machines that do not like to accept notes - Efficient it may be, simple to understand it definitely isn't.

10. Had two people coming up to me asking for directions. What, I look German?

11. Gotta talk about my experience returning to the UK of course. The night before my flight, I merrily went over to the hostel lady and asked her how long it would take to get to the airport. She's all, "Haven't you heard? All flights to London are canceled." What!!?? Panic mode ensues. After having a strike derailed my flight back from Italy the previous trip, a freakin' volcano now?? For serious?

So I went on to Ryanair's site and the earlier flight available I could rebook was 4 days later (which still would have been canceled, as it turned out). I went to the train station the next morning to check out train options, but they were fully booked for the next 2 days and it would have cost a bomb anyway (Incidentally, the lady at the train ticketing counter was a majorly unhelpful, unsympathetic, um, person. Ugh.) Luckily, I had checked online the previous night that there were actually buses that ran from Berlin to London (Seriously, who knew?). So I headed to the bus station (on the confusing S-Bahn) located in West Berlin. There, I was told that the bus for that night (one each day) for full, but I could pay first and get on the waitlist and come and see what happens. So I did, and went back to the hostel.

Hours later, I'm checked out and I headed back to the bus station (having a room on hold till 8pm at the hostel in case I didn't manage to get on the bus). I found out I was 2nd on the waitlist. And 10 minutes before departure, we are told there's space! About 5 people on the list got to board. And so I boarded the bus and began the 19 hour ride to London.

The bus passed through Bremen, Hanover in Germany, then crossed Holland, where the customs check is this police van with a (-------> Follow Me) sign on its back that led the coach to a petrol station. Officers then boarded and checked our documents. How nice of them to do that! We didn't even have to disembark haha. From Holland, we went into Belgium and stopped at Brussels. The bus was Paris-bound, so the ones heading to London changed coaches.

From Brussels, the bus continued onto France, stopping at Lille, before arriving at Calais, where we crossed the English Channel using the Eurotunnel. That was the coolest shit. All vehicles basically drive into these long, narrow trains, one after another, and park inside. Then, with the vehicles stationary, the trains ferry us across the Channel and we emerge in Dover. English air at last! From Dover, it took another 2 hours to get to central London. Finally, after 19 hours, Victoria Coach Station! But the journey's not over!
I had to of course take another 2 hour coach journey to get back to Oxford. Good times. A friend had a three day bus ride from Croatia back to London though, so who am I to complain. So 93 euros (bus ticket price) and 21 hours later, I was back home, 1.5 days later than had been planned. My Easter travel adventures finally end, after Wales, Morocco, Italy and Berlin (sorta. still one final weekend in OLD TRAFFORD! Squee!).

Cute huskies make any blog post better.

These jeans aren't made for travelin'

Here's what about two months worth of traveling with only a backpack (meaning constant wearing of the same pairs of jeans day in and day out) will do:Both pairs of jeans were bought sometime in 2008, I believe.

Yeah, I've no idea why all the tears occur in that specific geographic territory. ;)

Oh, by the way, I'm still wearing them. Gives me an edgy look, no?