His Right Step Forward (Sunday People)

First published in New Sunday Times
12 October 2008

His right step forward

MAX KOH signs up for a night of dance lessons with famous Austrian dance teacher Reinhard Polt, and leaves enamoured.

ALONG Jalan Tun Razak, while the traffic was moving at a snail’s pace, another dance was happening inside a BMW showroom.

Renowned Austrian dance teacher Reinhard Polt, garbed in a grey suit and pants, grabs hold of his young partner and begins to teach the floor how to do the waltz. “Lift your hands up, and hold her close to you,” he instructs gently. “Forward, side, close; back, side, close.”

As the music begins to play, the gentlemen take their partners’ hands and begin to dance their night away. “You need to hold her close to you,” he quipped at a nearby couple who was standing too far apart.

Among the dignitaries, parents, sponsors and guests, there I am holding my partner’s hand as we attempt to do the waltz together. Am I nervous? Yes. Fearful? A little.

Never in my life did I think I would learn ballroom dancing, let alone in a BMW showroom in downtown KL. And I have two completely useless left feet when it comes to dancing.

But thanks to Polt’s exceptional tutelage, and after countless stomps on my partner’s foot, I can now do the basic waltz steps!

As the night progresses, we also learnt the basic foxtrot, cha cha, rock and roll, and the Midnight Quadrille.

That’s my favourite. It’s a form of line dancing where couples stand in two lines facing each other. Then everyone begins a ritual that involves a lot of curtsying, bowing, circling around and exchanging partners. It’s like something you see in Victorian-era inspired films like Pride & Prejudice.

The free dance lessons were hosted by the Austrian Embassy Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Viennese Ball to be held on Oct 25 for the second time here. The Viennese Ball will see hundred debutantes performing the polonaise, quadrille and Viennese waltz during the opening of the traditional Austrian event. These couples aged 15 to 23 years old were selected out of many hopefuls and the best couple of the night will be given the honour to dance at the Vienna Opera Ball in Austria next February.

“We decided to have these classes for the non-debutantes because we want the guests to dance together with us during the ball. It would make the evening more fun!” says Polt who has trained debutantes from Athens, Berlin, Beijing, Tunis and Singapore.

Among the guests that evening were dignitaries as well as guests from the media. Some debutantes also attended the night in order to learn more from Polt, dubbed as the Dancing Ambassador of Vienna.

The ball, which originated as a traditional public ball in the 18th century, can be enjoyed by anyone across the world. It has been held in Abu Dhabi, Athens, Brussels, Shanghai and New York.

“Today, almost everyone in Austria takes part in a ball. The engineers will have their own party while the accountants will have their own,” says the debonair Polt in his melodious voice.

Well, we certainly had a ball too, with smiles and giggles while everyone tried to coordinate their feet to the music.

The ball is a strictly “black tie” event, commemorating Austria’s National Day. For more information, visit www.vienneseball.my.

Theatre: Tale of Two Women (Sunday People)

First published in New Sunday Times

27 September 2008

THEATRE: Tale of Two Women

Kisah Gadis explores the lives of several women as they reflect on the road travelled and the journey ahead. Director Megat Shahrizal speaks to MAX KOH about the double bill featuring Mangli and Gadis Jalan Burmah

FOR two plays that examine the lives of two women, it seems ironic that they should be written and directed by men.

But actor-director Megat Shahrizal is unfazed by this. Instead, he looks at it as a challenge; not only directing a woman’s perspective, but also working on two relatively new plays by emerging playwrights.

It is also Shahrizal’s second attempt at directing after a long hiatus since his award-winning Tat Nenas in 2004.

However, the time to direct his second play could not have come at a more opportune time.

Director Megat Shahrizal

“I was really fortunate to have won the Best Director Award (for Tat Nenas) for the Theatre Festival Malaysia in 2004.

“However, after that, I decided to focus on my acting as that is my first love,” says the 30-year-old who has acted in plays such as Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical, P.Ramlee, and films such as 1957 Hati Malaya and Jarum Halus. He played former Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail in 1957 Hati Malaya.

“After four years, the time is ripe for me to direct again or I might lose the touch. It’s really good timing because I’m not too busy, my friends are not too busy and the right scripts came along,” says Shahrizal who is pursuing his masters in performing arts at Universiti Malaya.

Kisah Gadis is a double bill production that explores the lives of two women as they reflect on the road travelled and the journeys ahead.

The first play, Mangli, tells the story of two longlost friends whose paths cross again at a bus stop after many years.

Their meeting forces them to rediscover each other and soon the conversation veers from pleasant to hostile, and the revelation of an attempted psychological suicide.

The second play, Gadis Jalan Burmah, features the monologue of a 42-year-old unmarried woman filled with anger, wit and humour.

Written with the local Malaysian context in mind, the protagonist Kartini Shuib contemplates about her past loves, her imminent future, and whether to go out with that prospective insurance salesman Kassim Rahman.

But what drew Shahrizal to these two plays?

“I chose these two plays because I want to see new writers getting attention in the theatre circuit,” explains Shahrizal.

“Having watched these plays before, I felt that they deserve a bigger audience.”

Mangli is the maiden effort by Adiwijaya and has only been performed thrice to a small audience.

“Adiwijaya is a friend of mine. After all, the theatre circle is so small that everyone knows each other. For years, we have been pushing him to write a play as he is an accomplished short story writer. After so long, he finally wrote a play and I decided that I must direct it... and get as many people as possible to watch it,” adds Shahrizal.

On the other hand, Gadis Jalan Burmah, is the fifth script penned by Shahredza Minhat (Redza), also an accomplished actor, having appeared in Otak Tak Centre, Romeo & Juliet and TOAST!

“These two scripts are really strong and I hope that I can bring it to a bigger audience,” said Shahrizal who studied Business Management but quit after getting bored in the industry.

On how the script is going to be interpreted by men, Shahrizal is totally taken aback that no women have given any input in the practice sessions yet.

“It’s seems really interesting that after so many practices, no one including the production crew said anything like ‘Wait, this is not how a woman thinks’. I supposed the script is really strong enough,” muses Shahrizal.

“In fact when I presented the script to Faridah Merican, she really liked it and agreed to be the executive producer.”

Shahrizal deems the two plays as a light production with a twist at the end of Mangli. The cast includes Ashraf Zain, Tuan Faisal and Sherry Abdullah.

This double bill marks the second instalment of The Actor Studios’s Teater Rakyat programme. The first was Anak Bulan Di Kampong Wa’ Hassan by Gene Sha Rudyn.

Being billed under the Teater Rakyat banner, Shahrizal is quick to offer his definition of the term.

“When people hear the term Teater Rakyat, they immediately think about traditional theatre. But that perception does not restrict me.

“To me, it simply means a play that is written by a Malaysian that is accessible to the Malaysian audience regardless of language or race. As long as it can connect to the audience, it is Teater Rakyat.”

Kisah Gadis will be staged at KLpac’s Pentas 2 from Oct 22-26, 2008. Tickets: RM25 (adults)/RM10 (students). Special preview night on Oct 22 and Saturday matinee on Oct 25 at RM10. Call 03-40479000 (KLpac) or 03-20949400 (The Actors Studio @ BSC) or visit www.klpac.com.

The Tao of Loi's Dance (Sunday People)

First published in New Sunday Times

26 April 2008

The Tao of Loi’s dance

After four years, dancer Loi Chin Yu returns to the stage in a solo performance to explore the meaning of Taoism and its rituals. MAX KOH writes

SEATED by the quiet lake at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul, Loi Chin Yu doesn’t come across as a sage or a spiritual guru despite the religious nature of his upcoming dance. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, Loi tells me that he is just a seeker.

He is back on stage in My Calling My Stage, My Act after a four-year-hiatus. In this performance, he says, he explores the meaning of Taoism and his internal struggle for spiritual balance and peace.

By exploring the movements derived from Taoist ceremonial acts — speaking in tongues, chanting, ceremonial scriptures and such — Loi hopes to internalise the sacred scripture of the Tao Te Ching and find spiritual balance in his inner man.



"During my break from the stage, I was able to find the time to read the Tao Te Ching, the scriptures written by Lao Tze more than 2,000 years ago.

“Having grown up with so many Taoist practices around me, the book opened up a new understanding of Taoism which is of a different level than the rituals,” says Loi whose family house in Klang stood next to a Taoist temple.

“This spurred me to want to say something about Taoism. The message behind Tao Te Ching is that we need to return to Nature to find our spiritual balance. More than 2,000 years later, the message is still relevant today.”

Loi believes that truth and love can only emerge when the heart is settled.

“In every person’s life, there is a need to maintain a spiritual balance. Very often, we get ‘stuck’ in a certain emotion and state which arises from situations and circumstances in the past. We will never find the peace until we channel out (what’s) stuck in our hearts.

“Some of us find it in yoga, tai chi, or a hobby. For me, I find my balance on stage.”

It is precisely this reason that has brought Loi back to the stage. This is his way of internalising Taoist philosophy in his life.

“These four years has made me realise that I miss the passion of dancing and performing onstage. Dancing has always been my healing therapy. Without it, I find an imbalance in my spiritual side.”

Loi believes that everyone has to find their own way of self-therapy. “The spiritual man is like a tree. Without water, it will become dry and eventually wither away.

“Dancing rejuvenates my spiritual man.”

While the performance dwells on spiritual matters, Loi is adamant that he is not there to preach or impose his beliefs on other people.

“It is very much a personal journey.”

What Loi hopes to articulate to the audience is this: “If your heart is calm, then you are a god. When your calmness is strong like a mountain, you will find your own way to spiritual balance. It is your own journey. No one can tell you how to attain it.”

Loi’s love affair with dance began when he watched the Kwangsi Association perform at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre in 1989.

“I was then in Form Five. I was taken aback by the contemporary and Chinese style of the Kwangsi Association. I found that the movement suited my body. Before this, I only dabbled in lion dance as the ball-bearer being chased by the lion. I was in high school then.” He laughs.

Loi joined the association and trained under Vincent Tan. Loi became a pioneering member of Nyoba Dance where he worked regularly with acclaimed dancer Lee Swee Keong.

Loi is also a fine arts graduate and designer of stage sets and domestic furniture.

His dance credits include The Tree, Lady White Snake — The Revenge, When Durian Meet Banana, Red Banquet, Four Men One Face, and SeeSaw. He has also appeared in several independent films including Man From Thailand and Survival.

Loi has also been involved in many musical productions including Puteri Guning Ledang, P. Ramlee – The Musical, September Tales (Dama Orchestra) and Little Mission Impossible.

When not dancing, Loi is an award-winning set designer. He won the BOH Cameronian Award for Best Set Design for Leave Me Along (Dua Space) in 2004. He owns the company Five E Production and designed the set for My Calling My Stage, My Act.

“I will be building a square platform similar to the one monks use to meditate in the mountains. The only difference is that it will be indoors. It’s going to be big and serious.”

My Calling My Stage, My Act will be showing at KLPac, Sentul Park. Shows begin at 8.30pm on May 2-3 and 3pm on May 4. Ticket prices are RM25/RM15 (students, senior citizens & the disabled). Call 03-4047 9000 for bookings or log on to www.klpac.com.

Lars And The Real Girl review (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh
28 April 2008

Ratings:
7/10

Title:
Lars And The Real Girl

Cast:
Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson, Nancy Beatty and R.D. Reid

Genre:
Drama, Comedy

Review:
‘Lars and the Real Girl’ is an eccentric comedy that is sure to tug at your heartstrings.

What would you do if a family member brought a sex doll to dinner and introduced her to the family as a real person? Would you play along or send him to the mental institution?

When faced with such a conundrum, Gus (played by Schneider who bears a striking resemblance to Adam Levine) and wife Karin (Mortimer) chose the former. And they managed to convince the town folks to play along too, treating the wheel-chair bound sex doll as a real person – taking her out on outings, talking to her, washing her and even cutting her hair.

All this is done out of love for Lars (Gosling), an extremely introverted young man who is the darling of the town.

Lars likes to keep to himself, and since the death of his father often stays alone in the family garage. Still, he seems really normal until the day he brings home a life-sized sex doll for dinner to Gus and Karin’s home.

He treats her like a real person and thinks he has a deep and meaningful relationship with her. He introduces her as Bianca, a missionary from Europe, who is wheel-chair bound.

At first the family is taken aback but upon the advice of the family doctor who say that Gus is working out through some personal issue, they soon play along.

The word eventually spreads, and Lars slowly turns from the ‘wierdo’ to the ‘guy everyone cares about’ thanks to the support of key individual people in the town. People fall in love with Bianca and have no qualms over playing along. In fact, the town soon begins to enjoy this new activity, a break from the monotony of everyday affairs and begin to make Bianca the star attraction of the town much to Lars’ distress. This of course, causes some problems in Lars’ relationship with Bianca.

Although the sex doll (which is anatomically correct, by the way) comes across as creepy at first, it slowly becomes an endearing figure to both the townsfolk and the audience. You can’t help but be drawn to the enigmatic presence of Bianca.

However, the film’s main focus is on Lars who manages to invoke a sense of empathy with the audience. Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Lars is so powerful and lyrical in its subtleties and nuances, drawing you to him but never letting you too much into his inner psyche. This makes him an enigmatic character of loneliness and familiarity.

For that, Gosling was rightly nominated for Best Actor in the Golden Globe awards last year. He lost it to Daniel-Day Lewis (no arguments about that) but deservingly won the Satellite award for it.

Not overshadowed is the wonderful supporting cast in the film. Schneider evokes a familiarity and closeness as the stiff-necked brother while Mortimer is the endearing sister-in-law who cares too much.

The underrated Kelli Garner plays Margo, the office colleague who is secretly in love with Lars.

The cinematography is sparse and simple in its execution and supports the storyline beautifully; no unnecessary embellishments and aesthetics. The small town is indeed a character of its own in the film.

And just like the passing seasons that are being juxtaposed with Lars’ inner turmoil, the film spans out very nicely, drawing us to his soul and heart.

‘Lars And The Real Girl’ proves three things: Gosling is a talented actor that deserves more recognition, a film does not need a big budget or special effects to carry a story, and that a little love goes a long way. And it takes a sex doll to teach us that.


Did you know?

The film was awarded an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. The film received a standing ovation when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and showed again twice at the Boston Film Festival, where the director took questions from the sold-out audience after the first screening.

Definitely Maybe review (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh
14 April 2008

Rating:
8/10

Title:
Definitely Maybe

Cast:
Ryan Reynolds, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Kevin Kline, Marc Bonan and Derek Luke

Genre:
Romance, Comedy

Review:
‘Definitely Maybe’ is a witty, intelligent and undeniably charming film that appeals not only to the heart, but to the head as well.

Packed with an emotional depth that is not often seen in romantic flicks, ‘Definitely Maybe’ deals with relationships in a very human and realistic way.

The foibles of relationship are deftly handled and portrayed, thanks to the genius that is Adam Brooks, who wrote and directed the film.

Brooks does away with all the schmaltz and sugarcoating that plague most romantic comedies (the repeated story arc of boy meets girl, boy doesn’t see eye-to-eye with girl, boy eventually falls in love with girl, trouble brews, boy and girl separate but get together in the end) and chooses to shed light on the very complex problems that besiege relationships in the modern era.

You know how relationships fail and falter in real life. How divorces are real and magic is but only the stuff that you see on films. And true love continues to be the Holy Grail that seems to elude many. (Yep, realists continue to scoff at such films)

‘Definitely Maybe’ conveys that love is a working commitment and involves a lot of heartbreaks, disappointments, misadventures, try-outs, fall-outs, make-ups, break-ups and searching. It may sound depressing but ‘Definitely Maybe’ is by no means a depressing film. It just gets you thinking and offers a realistic view on love and life. And yes, as much as the film defies convention in romantic flicks, there is a happy ending after all. One that is more realistic than most.

Quintessentially, ‘Definitely Maybe’ has a story that feels real. No Prince Charming or knight in shining armour. No magic formula. Just a heartfelt and sometimes complex love story.

Ryan Reynolds (in a very much grown-up role and a far cry from his days as Van Wilder in ‘Two Guys And A Girl’) plays a 30-something Manhattan dad Will who is in the midst of a divorce. One night, his 10-year-old daughter Maya (Breslin) asks him about his love life prior to marrying her mom.

With his daughter tucked comfortably in bed, Will begins to unravel the mysteries of adult relationship and how it is a “very complex thing.”

His story brings us back to the 1990s- the age before e-mail, hand phones and TV reality shows. Will was then an aspiring politician fresh out of university in Wisconsin who dreamt of becoming the President of United States of America.

His ticket to glory was working for the Clinton campaign that saw him leaving his university sweetheart Emily (Banks) in Wisconsin for the big city of New York.

As he slowly worked his way up from being the toilet paper guy to being one of the big guns, he met the apolitical but outspoken April (Fisher) who turns out to be his longtime best friend and confidante. Along the way, he also meets the free-spirited and feisty journalist Summer (Weisz).

So what follows is a guessing game as Maya tries to figure out which of these three women turns out to be her mother (Will changed the names of the women). Thanks to the wonderful script, the audiences are left to guess along as well with no obvious enough hints or pointers.

There are seductions, disappointments, unrequited love, and betrayals but at the end- it is all played out very realistically. And you will find yourself rooting for one woman over the others at any point in the film.

Ryan Reynolds seem to have grown up from his Van Wilder days, playing the sensitive and doting father with ease and confidence. Breslin, the cutie-pie in Little Miss Sunshine, shines as the inquisitive and bright Maya. Considering her other role in another recent film, ‘Nim’s Island’, one can surmise that Breslin is going to be one shining child star. Her chemistry with Reynolds comes across as believable and charming.

Isla Fisher is simply likeable and will have you falling in love with her in no time. Equally alluring is Weisz as the sexy and confident Summer.

All in all, ‘Definitely Maybe’ is a film that is not afraid to explore the different quandaries and complexities that exist in relationships. And it is done with an equal dose of heart, wit and tenderness all bundled up in a film that deserved to be seen by more than just the average romantic comedy junkies. There are no ‘maybes’ about that.

Nim's Island review (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh
18 April 2008

Rating;
7/10

Title:
Nim’s Island

Cast:
Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, Alphonso McAuley and Michael Carman

Genre:
Adventure, Fantasy

Review:

The last time we saw Gerard Butler in ‘300’, it was hard not to turn our attention away from his rock-solid abs and witty one-liners. He had the character down pat, playing King Leonidas who led 300 Spartans to defend their Greek state from the impending armies of King Xerxes in the Battle of Thermopylae.

In his latest movie ‘Nim’s Island’, Butler sheds his masculine posturing and them perfectly sculpted six packs to take on a doting and fatherly role. But worry not ladies, he is one hot paternal figure. And wait till you hear his lilting Scottish accent ...

Butler, however, isn’t the only one with the charms in the movie. There is his young female co-star, Breslin. She has certainly grown in dramatic strength since mesmerising us with her performance in ‘Little Miss Sunshine’. She holds her own when sharing screen time with Hollywood heavyweight Foster and her chemistry with Butler comes across as heartfelt and genuine. (Those who love Breslin must also catch ‘Definitely Maybe’ where she stars alongside Ryan Reynolds and Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz.)

Breslin plays the 11-year-old titular character who lives with her marine biologist dad Jack (Butler) on a secret island somewhere near Borneo. Even though they are the only two people on the island, they are self-sufficient and lead a simple but contented life. Jack has his research while Nim has her animal friends – a dancing seal, squeaking lizard and a smart pelican – coupled with her vivid imagination to keep her company.

When her father goes missing at sea, Nim enlists the help of her favourite author, Alex Rover (Foster), whom she imagines to be some adventure-seeking Indiana Jones-like character. Unfortunately, Rover turns out to be a neurotic writer who is apprehensive even about stepping out of the house to get her mail and is afraid of almost everything under the sun.

When Nim’s plea for help becomes desperate – she has to defend her island from opportunists who wants to turn the island into a tourist attraction – Rover decides it’s time to conquer her fears and help her little fan. At the same time, Jack struggles to get back to his daughter.

Foster steps out from her usual strong female characters to play the reclusive Rover, which she does with much aplomb. Who would have thought that Foster possesses great comic timing and her antics would easily get the kids laughing aloud. It is a wonderful change seeing her in a comedy after the string of tough roles in ‘Panic Room’ and ‘The Brave One’.

While the actors were great in their roles, the storyline unfortunately loses steam halfway with its uninteresting subplots. Thankfully, it picks up towards the end. So be prepared to find ways to ‘sedate’ (no, I didn’t say that) your boisterous kids during those boring parts for the sake of other patrons in the cinema.

The film was shot mostly in Australia with scenic views of the island. Drawing influences from the children’s book it is based on, the film also boasts some very charming storybook-like visuals at the start of the movie. It lends a nice touch to the film and should definitely appeal to the kids.

‘Nim’s Island’ is a light-hearted children affair that will appeal to kids aged eight and below with its saccharine storyline infused with moral values. Families with young kids can go no wrong with this. However, those with older children would have better luck with ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ or ‘Horton Hears A Who!’

And if you really want to see Butler, go buy the ‘300’ DVD instead. This is a kid’s show, so don’t expect a half-naked Butler showing off his abs, even though the premise of Butler getting wet and stranded on a boat in the middle of the sea sounds enticing. But I am disappointed to announce that it doesn’t happen here. So, get your fix somewhere else.

Did You Know?

During shooting, Breslin forced Butler to fill up a jar with coins whenever he used a bad word. The money was later donated to charity. How adorable!

Across The Universe review (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh

Nov 26, 2007

Ratings: 

8/10

Cast:

Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Eddie Izzard, Martin Luther Mccoy, T.V. Carpio and Bono

Genre:

Musical, Romance

Review:

“I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus. Goo, goo g’joob.”

Any Baby Boomer growing up in the 60s would recognise that line from I Am The Walrus, a mind-boggling Beatles number filled with nonsensical ramblings (something about yellow mustards and pornographic priestess) and references to the drug LSD (of which Lennon claimed to be high on while writing the first two lines of the song).

For most of us born after that era, listening to that song will only make you go “What the ----?” before you find the chorus lodged in your subconscious and replaying itself over and over again. Goo, goo g’joob. Get it?

You don’t need an acid trip to find out what the Fab Four were saying in that song; just watch Julie Taymor’s wonderful film as she takes you down… not Penny Lane or Strawberry Fields but through the tumultuous 60s, where flower power, anti-war movements, and social revolution was the order of the day (at least in the good old United States of America).

In the film, U2’s Bono gives a stirring and psychedelic rendition of the afore-mentioned song as counter-culture spiritual guru Dr. Robert. How psychedelic? Let’s just say, you don’t need your weeds for this one.

Across The Universe follows Liverpool-bred Jude (Sturgess) who travels to America to find his biological father but gets acquainted with the free-spirited Max (Anderson). And he soon falls for Max’s sister, Lucy (Wood) “when he saw her standing there”.

With a little help from their friends – in the form of the Janis Jolin-esque Sadie (Fuchs), the Jimi Hendrix-styled Jo-Jo (McCoy) and the lesbian cheerleader Prudence (Carpio) – we are transported into the Beatles-dominated universe filled with the songs for the sappy (While My Guitar Gently Weeps, If I Fell), the psychedelic (For The Benefit of Mr. Kite, Happiness Is A Warm Gun), the cutesy (All My Loving, I Want To Hold Your Hand), and the rollicking (Come Together, Helter Skelter).

And what a ride it is! Sure, some scenes merely exist for certain songs to be sung but when you have Eddie Izzard’s bizarre but brilliant circus-performance on Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite, you overlook the shortcomings. 

The director has taken liberties in reinterpreting and rearranging some of the songs. An example is the delightful sing-a-long I Want To Hold Your Hand transformed into a lovelorn ballad. Or the classic Let It Be revamped into a soaring gospel number with a choir thrown in!

If you are a true-blue Beatles fan, you may enjoy the new interpretations. If you are new (or casual) fan, you might just get converted into Beatles devotee.

The songs are that good! The director has done a great job of retaining some of the quintessential Beatles numbers and tweaking several for a new generation. Word is they used period instruments to get the original sound of that era. 

And the stunning cinematography (ranging from High-School-Musical-type choreographies to graphic-heavy visuals) makes the film a visual fest. One memorable scene (among others) is when Max and some US soldiers carry the Statue of Liberty across the jungles of Vietnam. Cryptic?

Running at over two hours, you’ll probably get a sore bum at the end of the movie. But it is worth it, as what you get is a magical tour through the slamming 60s, where nothing is real so there’s nothing to get hung up about. Goo goo g’joob! Get 

it?

Did you know? 

Across The Universe features 31 Beatles songs, spanning from the lesser known Hold Me Tight, Why Don’t We Do It In The Road to the more famous Hey Jude, Blackbird, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

Also look out for references to other Beatles songs (and characters) in the script. Trust me, you will be able to spot all of them before you turn 64.

Joe Cocker does a ‘Nutty Professor’ by playing three characters when singing Come Together. And Bono is brilliant as the Neal Cassady-type spiritual guru Dr Robert. And did I mention that the sizzling Salma Hayek makes a cameo as five sexy, dancing nurses? Yes, five!

Kingston Hits Town (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh

19 April 2007

Teenage sensation Sean Kingston, who was in town recently as part of his ‘Beautiful Girls World Tour’ to promote his self-titled debut album, had a showcase at Zouk KL.

The 18-year-old Jamaican American reggae singer and rapper got the crowd worked up as he sang some of his big hits “Beautiful Girls”, “Me Love” and “Take You There”. Unfortunately, as he only performed for half-an-hour, some came away feeling short-changed. He sang six songs and left the crowd wanting for more, if not cheated out of the RM80 that they paid to get into the club.

Nevertheless, American Chinese rapper Jin, who was featured in ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’, made the buck worth the bang as he impressed audiences with his adroit vocal acrobatics and sharp free styling. Word y’all. Now who says Chinese boys can’t rap? He was the night’s opening act.

Earlier that day, Kingston appeared at Menara Maxis for a meet and greet with fans. During the press conference, 40 lucky Maxis customers got to meet their young idol. In a short interview session with the press, Kingston said he was happy that people were showing him love and buying his albums. He also revealed that he is working on a new album.

“I am currently working with Timbaland on my new album. I also hope to work with people like Kanye West, Pharell, Flo Rida, Ne-Yo and Fergie,” said the Miami-based performer.

Recently, Kingston covered Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry” on The Today Show. The video which was subsequently posted on YouTube has to date received over 336,000 views.

What many people don’t know is that his grandfather used to produce songs for the legendary Marley. Therefore, he claims to be the real deal.

“I am glad to be part of the music and doing this,” said Kingston whose real name is Kisean Anderson. He changed his second name to ‘Kingston’, as it is the capital city of Jamaica and he thought his real name sounded lame.

Well, Anderson or Kingston, the boy sure knows how to get the crowd moving. With two crew members and a DJ, he hit the stage running with the song “Me Love”. He then performed some songs taken from his album such as “Kingston”, “I Can Feel It” and “There’s Nothing”. He got the most cheers, of course, when he performed “Beautiful Girls” before ending the short love affair with the slow and uplifting “Dry Your Eyes”.

Kingston performed the next day at Coco Banana, Sunway Pyramid.

Backstreet Boys: Unbreakable (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh

19 Feb 2008

Album:

Unbreakable

Discography:

Backstreet Boys (1996)

Backstreet’s Back (1997)

Millennium (1999)

Black & Blue (2000)

Never Gone (2005)

Futher Listening:

Take That 

Westlife

Boyzone

911

98 Degrees

Genre:

Pop

Review: 

Before Britney, Eminem, Simple Plan or even Avril Lavigne came to inspire the impressionable pre-teens and teens demographic in the late 90s, kids listened to boybands.

Yup, there was a time when 911, Boyzone, Take That and 98 Degrees ruled the airwaves. When teenyboppers screamed and flailed their hands at the sight of boy-idols such as Nick Carter, Ronan Keating, Nick Lachey … and plastered their mugs all over the bedroom walls.

“I’ll never break your heart…” Ah, yes, when lyrics were all about sweet, innocent love. Nowadays, it seems like every hit song has a dubious reference to body parts or objectifies women as sex objects (“Will you shut and drive while you check my lovely lady lumps?”) 

But I digress.

While most boybands have long expired their shelf life (anyone remember Five or Code Red?), Backstreet Boys continues to churn out new materials for their faithful but now slightly older fans.

And thankfully, just like their loyal fans, the boys too have grown, evident from their sixth studio album “Unbreakable”.

Their songs may still revolve around love and its various manifestations: unrequited love (“Inconsolable”, “Everything But Mine”, “One In A Million”), lost love (“Trouble Is”, “Panic”), true love (“Unmistakable”, “Helpless When She Smiles”) but they have never been delivered with so much panache until now.

While the music veers towards the pop rock genre that is strangely refreshing with all the Timberland/Neptunes-produced ditties making their rounds nowadays; the boys have never sounded so confident.

It’s nothing groundbreaking, but “Unbreakable” should satiate old fans that still have a crush on the boys (sans Kevin Richardson who left the group). I don’t think it would attract any new younger fans though.

Backstreet’s back but they’re just all right. Their fans may no longer be teenagers, but I suspect a lot of working adults would play this during their daily commute to work.

And blimey, if they still have their posters plastered on their bedroom walls!

What others say … 

“There are only four of them now, and two are in their thirties, but they are still Boys, and they are more thoroughly bland and cheesy than ever.” Rolling Stones

“Minor complaints aside, pound for pound and song for song, “Unbreakable” may just be the best pop album of the year so far.” Sputnik Music

Charlie Wilson's War (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh

28 Feb 2008

Title:

Charlie Wilson's War

Cast:

Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Emily Blunt, Om Puri and Ken Stott

Genre:

Drama, Comedy

Review:

What do a womanising congressman, God-fearing Southern socialite and renegade CIA agent have in common?

How about staging the most successful covert operation in history. An unlikely scenario?

Well, ‘Charlie Wilson's War’ is based on a true story that brought these three very different personalities together to help bring down the Soviet Union and end the Cold War in the 1980s.

Tom Hanks brings the titular character to life. Charlie Wilson is a Texan playboy congressman who is infamous for his promiscuous ways and famously called "Good Time Charlie". Beneath that façade, however, is an as astute politician with a deep sense of patriotism and a compassion for lost causes in the world.

The film begins in Las Vegas as Charlie is sharing a bathtub with pretty women. A television news report on the Mujahideen freedom fighters in Afghanistan comes on (by the legendary news anchor Dan Rather, no less) and soon captivates Charlie's attention.

The Red Armies are invading Afghanistan. Like animals, they are slaughtered without mercy and chased to neighboring countries like Pakistan.

The feeble weapons of the Mujahideen are no match for the high-tech Soviet planes and choppers. What they need are hi-tech weapons to combat the Red Armies.

Urged by longtime friend, frequent patron, and sometimes lover Joanne Herring (Roberts), Charlie then travels to Pakistan to visit the President and the refugee camps.

What he witnessed there is enough to spur Charlie to accomplish the impossible: secure funds and weapons for the Mujahideen to combat the invading Communist forces.

Helping him out is CIA agent Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman); a no-nonsense operative who is often dismissed by his bosses in the agency.

Together, the trio form an unlikely alliance with Pakistanis, Israelis, Egyptians, lawmakers and a belly dancer to organise the largest (and most improbable) covert operation in history against a

common enemy: the Red Commies.

Their success was remarkable. Over the nine-year course of the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, United States funding for the covert operation went from US$5 million to US$1 billion annually. Subsequently, the Red Army retreated from Afghanistan.

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by George Crile, the film manages a fine balance between politics and humor. Hanks and Hoffman (both Academy luminaries) make a formidable team onscreen. Their comedic timing is spot-on and their chemistry is magic. You will have your eyes riveted on their performance especially in the first scene they were together. That alone is worth the price of the ticket.

Hanks is amazing as the flawed but likeable Congressman. But Hoffman deserves accolades for transmitting the ghost of the character through his performance. No surprise that he won an Academy for his performance in ‘Capote’ a few years back. Here, he is a far cry from the shy, shaky character that is Truman Capote. He was nominated for an Academy this year again but lost the prize to Javier Bardem who plays a serial killer in ‘No Country For Old Men’.

’Charlie Wilson's War’ also marks the first collaboration between Hanks and Roberts (believe it or not). Roberts appears much older in this film than we are used to but otherwise does a satisfying job as the God-fearing, Communist-hating, rich Houston socialite.

For a political film, ‘Charlie Wilson's War’ is surprisingly funny. The film is cleverly written (kudos to the screenplay writers) and has some of the wittiest lines you'll ever find in a political film. Expect to be engaged from start to finish and get an interesting insight on how politics in the mid-eighties contributed to the political realities in America and the Middle East today.

Charlie Wilson best sums it up at the end: "These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world ... and then we f**ked up the endgame." Sound familiar?

One scene was rather poignant. After winning the covert operation, Charlie tries to get the Congress to approve a US$5 million fund to build a school in Afghan but to no avail.

The government was willing to inject US$1 billion to fight their war but not a few million to build a school. Afghanistan is left to pick up the pieces while the US washes its hands clean of any responsibility. Today, US forces appears to have no exit strategy for Iraq, as yet again another country is left in shambles ... but I digress.

The film has also received criticism for insinuating that the CIA-led operation funded Osama bin Laden and ultimately produced the 9/11 attack.

The film has also received criticism for insinuating that the CIA-led operation funded Osama bin Laden and ultimately produced the 9/11 attack.

George Crile clarifies: "By the end of 1993, in Afghanistan itself there were no roads, no schools, just a destroyed country -- and the United States was washing its hands of any responsibility. It was in this vacuum that the Taliban and Osama bin Laden would emerge as the dominant players. It is ironic that a man who had had almost nothing to do with the victory over the Red Army, Osama bin Laden, would come to personify the power of the jihad. In 1998, when bin Laden survived US$100 million worth of cruise missiles targeted at him, it reinforced the belief that Allah had chosen to protect him."

Hmm… food for thought indeed. But who am I kidding? Isn't it just a film after all? Let us fix our attention on another more pressing issue like, which movie really deserved the Oscar for Best Picture: ‘There Will Be Blood’ or ‘Country For Old Men’? Hmm…

Celebrity Chef's Cookbook: Cake Temptations and Other (gua.com.my)

by Max Koh
22 March 2008

Title:
Celebrity Chef’s Cookbook: Cake Temptations and Other Desserts

Authors:
Su Chan

Famed for:
Her signature Tiramisu and other cakes and desserts. They can be found at her SuChan®Deli in PJ and Bangsar Village II.

Genre:
Cookbook

Review:
Cake-lovers everywhere must be buzzing with delight at the release of famed chef Su Chan’s first ever cookbook.

Su Chan? Yes, Su Chan of the infamous Tiramisu cake that has enchanted taste buds everywhere (well, in the Klang Valley mostly). And let’s not mention her delightful cakes, pies, pudding and brownies!



Best of all is it is not hard to do. Su Chan guides you every step of the way to ensure that your cake turns out as good as it looks in the book. The cakes look so delicious you are tempted to eat them off the pages.

The book also contains a comprehensive section called Basic Recipes, teaching you how to make the essential sauces (Toffee, Caramel, Chocolate), date paste, sugar dough, and sponges. It’s like a baking 101 for the kitchen-impaired baking aspirants (re: baking dummies) out there.

The health-conscious, gym-going masses with a sweet tooth will be happy to know that most of the recipes here call for no chemical enhancements, use less sugar and are gelatin free. So, the next time your organic flag-waving aunty declines your slice of cake, you can assure her that it is “organically sound and healthy!”





These recipes are the result of years of experience and experimentation by Su Chan to perfect the art of baking. Su Chan who started baking for her friends and family has taken great pains to develop and simplify the procedures so that you will enjoy the preparation as much as delighting your loved ones with your finished work of art.

The recipes are alphabetically arranged and include a very comprehensive methodology for even the most hopeless of bakers. Each recipe comes with a preparation time frame so that you know that you are on the right track when you finish your cake in time.

As the master chef told me in an interview, “Baking is very precise. Just follow the instructions in the book and you’ll get your end result in no time. It’s not hard at all.” Cool! For a bachelor who is hopeless in the kitchen but loves good food, that is good news.






As you flip through the pages, you’ll feel an increasing urge to get down and dirty in the kitchen. It is that inspiring. Although my past attempts at making cheese cake met with less than successful results, I am now inspired to bake again after looking at these mouth-watering pictures of cakes and pies.

In fact, when I passed the book around to my friends who have never baked, they were inspired and wanted to try out the easier recipes for themselves such as the delicious-looking Mexican Brownies that only takes 1 hour 30 minutes to make. As for me, I would love to make the Japonaise or the Strawberry Pavlova – they look so good on paper!

Su Chan’s love for the art started as a hobby. She began her career in timber export before venturing into advertising. Su Chan then left that to pursue her dreams, joining the famous Bon Ton restaurant as a pastry chef in the 90s.

After spending four-and-a-half-years at Bon Ton, she moved on to start a catering business for the US Embassy before opening her own deli, Su Chan Deli in Petaling Jaya. Her hard work saw her landing a spot as the finalist for the Personality Award for Entrepreneurs from the Food & Hotel Industry’s Platinum Award in 2003.

You can sample her cakes and desserts at her deli in Jalan Dato Mahmud (off Jalan University) or at her new branch in Bangsar Village II. Most of the recipes can be found in this cookbook.

The cookbook is also available in Malay. So if you have been thinking about baking but need a kick in the butt, get yourself a copy now. Baking has never been easier.

The Talented Nick (Sunday People)

Davis (second from right) with his indie band

Davis composed the music for Three from scratch

Published in the New Sunday Times
April 13, 2008

The talented Nick

Nick Davis, all of 20 years, is scorching up the local theatre and music scene, writes MAX KOH

ACTOR, musician, composer and occasional film-maker. He is 20-year-old Nick Davis and he’s already acted in three plays, composed music for two productions and directed, acted and composed the soundtrack for short film, Shells On The Beach.

Right now, he’s the music director for Helena Foo’s Three, a physical theatre based on Mitch Albom’s Five People You Meet In Heaven.

With that kind of resume, it is hard to imagine that the boyish-looking Davis graduated with a diploma in performing arts only two months ago.

“Even though I was in college, I made it a point to get involved as much as possible in the industry,” says Davis, lounging on a chair at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul.

His involvement in the industry paid off handsomely. He interned at KLPac for his diploma and will soon be working with well-known thespian Jo Kukathas for Air-Con, which is an ICT FirstWorks piece by Shanon Shah.

“It is really great that I am able to work with Jo. I went for the audition without any expectations and was elated to know I got the part,” says Davis.

Right now, Davis is focussing on Three. The story is about a man who meets five people in heaven and how his little decisions in life has significant consequences on them.

Three is a physical theatre piece where the story is entirely told with body language set to original composition by Davis.

How did Davis come to work with Foo?

“Helena was my senior at Sunway College. She roped me in when she directed her first production The Shape Of Things in 2006 where I played with a live band onstage. I guess it is our friendship that really helps us to be able to work together.”

For Three, Davis composed the music from scratch.

“I am really interested in composing soundtracks and see how the movements and music work well together. You know, like background music for a film. And we also play with a live band during the performance, so you’ll be able to see how we improvise during the show.”

Davis described the music for Three as a blend of rock and new age. “It’s something like Explosions In The Sky or Mogwai.

“At first, the dancers did not get it. It was a bit tough to choreograph the movements according to the music. But once I got the basic melody we were able to coordinate things. There was a lot of interaction. In fact, I joined most of the choreography sessions even though I did not have to be there,” says Davis, clad comfortably in a black T-shirt and jeans.

Davis’ first love is music. He learnt to play the drums when he was 15, and soon taught himself how to play the guitar and keys. He’s been performing music around the indie circuit with other singer-songwriters.

So what’s the big plan?

“Well, I hope to record a demo CD soon. I am actually looking for a cellist in order to complete a trio with me and another piano player. So if there’s any cellist out there, please contact me.” He laughs.

“What I hope to do is a back-pack music tour around the world.”

• Three will play at Pentas 2, KLPac, Sentul Park until April 20. Tickets: RM25/RM15 (students, senior citizens and disabled). Shows begin at 8.30pm for April 15-19, 3pm (April 13 & 20).
Call 03-40479000.