Dominatio Per Malum

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Team finds Earth’s ‘oldest rocks’

Earth’s most ancient rocks, with an age of 4.28 billion years, have been found on the shore of Hudson Bay, Canada.

Writing in Science journal, a team reports finding that a sample of Nuvvuagittuq greenstone is 250 million years older than any rocks known.

It may even hold evidence of activity by ancient life forms.

Elegy (2008) 5/10

Elegy is a film about obsession, and possibly love. It features excellent actors like Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Penelope Cruz who give strong performances. But the film itself feels meandering and aimless. While each individual character is well portrayed, the characters have little chemistry with each other. Kingsley and Cruz are supposed to play lovers in a spring-autumn romance, but there is little spark between them. Individually, they are excellent actors, but together they sorely lack chemistry. In fact the strongest sequences in the film are the confrontations between Kingsley and Peter Sarsgaard who plays Kingley’s estranged son, as well as the quiet moments between Kingsley and Clarkson which is quite a pity because the strong supporting cast gets so little screen time.

Mongol (2007) 6/10

Mongol is a standard feudal epic, replete with impressive cinematography, majestic battle sequences but lacking in heart. The heart of the film is Tadanobu Asano who plays Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan in his early years. While Asano valiantly does stoic, the script itself does not develop Temujin’s character beyond the strong, silent, righteous stereotype. Plus it is hard to support a heroic figure who gets his ass kicked 80% of his onscreen time and does not show any special attributes beyond superhuman stubbornness and endurance.

Mongol was nominated for best foreign language film Oscar in 2008, but the film itself does not really deserve such an accolade. While the film features a gorgeous landscape, and a technically impressive battle sequence, there is nothing here that makes the crowds go “wow”. The film is certainly entertaining, but is virtually indistinguishable from generic overcosted epic beyond its focus on Genghis Khan. That ultimately becomes part of the problem because the main character of Genghis remains a one-dimensional caricature throughout the film such that the soul of the film gets bogged down. Ultimately, Mongol remains an ambitious but deeply flawed effort.

The Chaser (2008) 8/10

With a largely unknown cast and director, The Chaser is proving to be the breakout hit of the year. After topping the Korean Box Office, this smart and thrilling Korean film is a wire-tight action that breathes new life into a tired genre. It takes the classic serial killer genre and turns it on its head. The focus here is not on who the killer is, but whether there is enough evidence. Its no spoiler to tell you that the killer’s identity is revealed early on in the film and that he is captured at an early stage. But where The Chaser differs from conventional serial killer movies is the search for evidence and its indictment of a police system that has become inefficient and bound by red tape. In a sense, The Chaser bears many similarities with the equally excellent Korean film Memories of Murder in terms of themes and subject matter, although The Chaser has none of the humor of Memories and instead injects a more violent streak. One thing i must add though, is that Korean films seem to have the best street chase sequences ever. It seems that the sprawling alleyways of Korea lends itself to frenetic chase sequences.

I loved the performance by the excellent cast, as well as the subplot involving a young girl that the protagonist must now look after. The film itself has some rough edges, but the tense and unconventional script together with an excellent cast makes The Chaser one of the best films of 2008.

Sparrow (2008) 7/10

Sparrow is not a “regular” Johnnie To film. For one, its a whimsical and beautifully shot comedy. Those expecting something like Exiled, Election or Running out of Time might get quite a shock at how different it is from his usual style. Sparrow is the ultimate style over substance film. The plot is essentially a wafer thin distraction that gets us from point A to point B. Instead, the true beauty is how Johnnie To lovingly depicts HK and shoots the stylized sequences. Cinematography is beautiful and Johnnie To captures a slice of life of everyday HK. It is a “fun” albeit lightweight film which goes more for mood than plot. Lest this feels a tad like Wong Kar Wai, Johnnie To carves out his own style and comes up with an occasionally funny and beautifully whimsical flick. Simon Yam especially looks like he’s having a real good time starring in this movie and although the plot is utterly inscrutable and mostly does not make sense, it doesn’t matter because the movie is so much fun. Look out for longish takes and a memorable sequence involving Simon Yam with an umbrella crossing a street. Ultimately, this film is Johnnie To -lite. While it may not be quite a masterpiece, it does serves as a fun and forgettable distraction.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) 7/10

I’m probably in the minority, but i loved Ang Lee’s original version of the Hulk (Hulk 1). But apparently, the fans don’t agree and Marvel decided to reboot the franchise with the 2008 version called The Incredible Hulk (Hulk 2). The best thing about Hulk 2 is that it stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. Not only is Norton one of the most versatile actors of his generation, he also happens to be one of my favorite actors so his presence is very much welcome. Hulk 2 is in many way the antithesis of Ang Lee’s original Hulk 1. Whereas in Hulk 1, the green monster does not appear until well into the one hour mark, Hulk 2 brings on snippets of the Hulk in the very first scene. Hulk 1 was character driven drama; Hulk 2 is adrenaline infused action movie. And both of them are very good films.

Hulk 2 actually starts with a very good opening. The opening set in Brazil makes full use of the scenic vista offered by the favelas and Edward Norton does a mix of The Fugitive, The Running Man and The Bourne Ultimatum to cap off an excellent first act. The film sags abit however, when Norton’s character goes back to meet love interest Elizabeth Ross, played by Liv Tyler. Although Tyler is excellent eye candy and a decent actress, the problem is that the characters given have no back story and the supposed romance fizzles because of the lack of chemistry. Norton is great, but it takes two to clap and the Norton-Tyler pairing feels lacklustre. In contrast, although Eric Bana as the Hulk in Ang Lee’s orginal version does not have the screen charisma of Norton, he is paired with the excellent Jennifer Connelly as his love interest and the plot in Hulk 1 gave their characters far more depth and pathos.

Actionwise, the improvements in CGI are obvious and the action scenes are crafted with more fluidity. Most importantly, Hulk looks better in this second version with more believable movements and facial expressions. But although the Hulk’s action sequence is better compared to the original, the fact remains that the Hulk is eclipsed by Norton as Banner. The film is far more compelling when Norton is onscreen whereas the Hulk persona feels like the loud and not so interesting alter-ego of the film. Scenes between the Hulk and Liv Tyler lack the emotional power that was present in HULK 1.

Still, Hulk 2 should be judged by what it set out to do, which is to deliver a fast paced action vehicle. By that count, it succeeds as the big green monster hurtles through action scene after action scene with nary a pause. It is every bit the loud, crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster it wants to be, even though it sacrifices the depth and pathos of the original Ang Lee version. However, one limitation with such an approach is that if all Hulk aspires to be is mindless popcorn entertainment, it will only be a good film but not a masterpiece. Already, films like The Dark Knight and to a lesser extent Iron Man has raised the bar for superhero films and they have shown that the genre can transcend itself and become not just a good film but a masterpiece. Compared to the original, i’ll say that the new incarnation of the Hulk is just as enjoyable, but there is still much room for improvement. If it was up to me, my dream team would be to get Christopher Nolan/Ang Lee/ Darren Aronofsky/ David Fincher as director and cast Edward Norton and Jennifer Connelly as the leads. Now that would be a movie to really look forward to.

Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM | TorrentFreak

Spore was without doubt the most anticipated game of the year. The game itself has blown away the people who have played it, but the DRM encouraged thousands to get their copy illegally. Already Spore has been downloaded more than 500,000 times on BitTorrent, and this number is increasing rapidly.

Spore is this really well rated game plagued by terrible DRM. It can only be installed 3 times, after which it is basically worthless. In other words, it is a deliberately crippled game. Now why would you actually buy a deliberately crippled game that comes with DRM when you can download a copy that is actually better than the retail version? A no-brainer, really.

Also, Amazon users have given Spore multiple 1star ratings solely because of its draconian DRM. And in my opinion, its well deserved.

Weird but true.

Hmm… This conjures up images of death by chilli.

Damages is my new TV addiction. Great Acting, especially Glenn Close who chews the scenery and steals the scene whenever she is onscreen. The plot is tight and tautly crafted, although it does sag abit in the middle of the season. Still, as far as shows go, Damages is a gripping legal drama with all the elements that make it worth watching.

My Sassy Girl (2008) 4/10

The Original 2001 Korean hit rom-com My Sassy Girl remains one of my all time favorite movies, a film that transcends the boundaries of the rom-com genre. Now the inevitable Hollywood remake comes along, and it feels like a distant shadow of the original. The original was good because of the commanding, mesmerizing performance by lead actress Jeon Ji Hyun that gave many of the scenes energy and verve. Indeed, some of the quirky sequences of the original would have felt forced and artificial if done by a lesser actress. Alas, this is what happens for the 2008 remake and Elisha Cuthbert, while being a pretty face, has none of the sassy attitude and winsome charisma of Jeon. Although the remake follow many scenes from the original, many of the recreated scenes feel tired and bland rather than funny and exciting. The male and female leads of the 2008 version simply lack chemistry, with the result that the film drags rather than flies through its running time. Cuthberth’s range as an actress is simply limited and she never once displays the sassy attitude that the film takes its name for. As the result, the remake comes across as a bland, artificial retread lacking that lacks two vital ingredients which made the original such a success: chemistry, and a superlative female lead.

Red Cliff (2008) 6/10

Overlong and overwrought, Red Cliff is an entertaining mainstream spectacle that feels like an overlong trailer for Red Cliff Part 2.

Its big, its loud and it has more stars that the past 5 HK films you’ve seen. Red Cliff is so humongous, it has to be split into 2 parts. Part 1, or Red Cliff, has all the classic John Woo motiffs, amongst them themes of brotherhood, flower vase female roles and yes, pigeons. Loosely based on the classic Three Kingdom text, the film features familiar characters like Cao Cao, Liu Bei, ZhuGe Liang etc. Those not weaned on such names might find the film confusing at first, especially when the film introduces a huge cast of characters at the outset. However, it soon becomes fairly obvious that Cao Cao is the “baddie” and leads Takeshi Kaneshiro as ZhuGe Liang and Tony Leung and Zhou Yu are supposed to be the heroic leads.

First the bad: The film is padded with overlong and some frankly unnecessary scenes that can easily be cut. Amongst the most egregious are an extended zither playing sequence between Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro, as well as possibly the lamest tiger hunting sequence ever filmed. The film also has pretty gals in totally cosmetic roles that serve very little purpose. To be fair Vicki Zhao actually acquits herself by providing bits of comic relief, but Lin Chiling is quite colorless in her role, and isn’t very good with her dialog. The film also features Japanese actor Shido Nakamura mangling his lines in Chinese and a fairly mediocre cast of supporting characters that don’t make much of an impression. Even the leads Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro seem miscast and feel like they would have been more comfortable if their roles were reversed (ie Leung should have taken ZhuGe Liang while Kaneshiro should be Zhou Yu).

Still, the good news is that even if they seem miscast, they don’t let it show. Leung doesn’t appear until almost the halfway mark but such is his easy screen presence that he effortlessly steals the scenes. Kaneshiro isn’t quite at Leung’s level, but he nevertheless displays sufficient charisma to give a solid performance as ZhuGe Liang. It also helps that Leung and Kaneshiro have worked on many films before and their characters enjoy an easy rapport. Zhang Fengyi makes for a decent Cao Cao, although i would have preferred someone with a more malevolent aura like say Chen Daoming for the role.

As for the film, i must say that the action sequences were lacklustre and few and far between. Alot of time is spent on stuff like strategy, talking and more talking and other not particular important stuff. It is not surprising that the US release of the Red Cliff is going to condense the film into one film, since in my view the first part of Red Cliff is filled with along of excess padding and could well do with some judicious editing to trim off the fat and make for a more well-paced film.

As a crowd pleading flick, John Woo delivers entertaining, escapist fun for the masses. Red Cliff is not a particularly good film, but it is a serviceable blockbuster. Considering the current standards of films made in HK (and when judged against the recent and terrible Three Kingdom film starring Andy Lau), you could do worse than Red Cliff.

Pressure Builds on Singapore’s System

A siege mentality has been the hallmark of Singaporean politics for four decades, often with good justification given hostile neighboring governments to the north and south. Yet it is increasingly hard today to see how that anxiety can be justified and maintained. The generation now coming onto the political scene grew up in at least moderate prosperity, and may not be so easily bullied into voting for the PAP. It is eager to put down roots and create a civil society. So far the PAP has finessed this aspiration without compromising its control.

Microsoft Works to Perfect Windows Vista - NYTimes.com

Vista represented a big shift from its predecessor, XP, so it required a lot of new drivers — and Microsoft did a poor job of communicating how much work was needed. Often, Microsoft said, an older driver still worked with Vista, but it slowed down the PC or made it crash unpredictably. Today, 77,000 hardware devices and components are compatible with Vista, more than twice the number when Vista was introduced.

“We are in a very different position with Vista than we were even six months ago,” said Mr. Veghte, senior vice president for Windows strategy and marketing. “And there are a lot of people holding forth with criticism of Windows Vista that have not used Vista, or not recently.”

Well, I have used Vista for months, and i am also concurrently using XP (laptop). Which makes me qualified to say that Vista sucks. I’m used to Vista and its annoyances but given a choice now, i’d still pick an XP machine over a Vista machine.

Son of Rambow (2008) 7/10

Points to the poster (above). How can you not want to watch a movie called Son of Rambow? If you need a plot synopsis here it is: Kid who has never watched TV ever accidentally watches Rambo. He believes he is the son of Rambo. Hijinks ensure and the result is way better than Be Kind Rewind. For all the people who always secretly wanted to be Rambo and blow stuff up.

“If you, too, are a son of “Rambow,” or are from the era of The Lone Ranger or even the Power Rangers, this movie calls to you.” - Phil Villarreal

Economic View - Is History Siding With Obama’s Economic Plan? - NYTimes.com

The accompanying table, which is adapted from the book, tells a remarkably consistent story. It shows that when Democrats were in the White House, lower-income families experienced slightly faster income growth than higher-income families — which means that incomes were equalizing. In stark contrast, it also shows much faster income growth for the better-off when Republicans were in the White House — thus widening the gap in income.