tnppostwoman.com archives

Charlene Says: Whether it’s sex scandals or legal tangles or just being plain diva, female celebrities - both locally and overseas - have dominated the headlines in 2008.

Take Britney Spears and her almost 360 degree turnabout and comeback, or Miley Cyrus and her semi-nude Vanity Fair pictures.

Even locally, you had Patricia Mok who was labelled a diva after a tantrum at a film set. Or Caldecott darling Fann Wong who surprisingly pulled in a Best Actress win at an LA film festival. And even if you didn’t remember the whole debate over whether Miss Singapore Universe should go on, you definitely would’ve remembered Shenise Wong’s scary, oops I mean scaly, merlion dress.

And of course, how do you not talk about the year’s celebrity events without a nod to Edison Chen’s bevy of girls - Gillian Chung, Cecilia Cheung, Bobo Chan, etc - who became hot property online, and in not a good way.

Of course, I could hope these women celebrities would just get their act together next year but who wants them boring, serious and drab. What would we have to talk about in 2009?

Tell Us: Who are the female celebrities - Singaporean, from the region or Hollywood - who caught your eye this year?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

Charlene Says: Whenever homegrown talent JJ Lin pushes his artistic boundaries, he’s bound to receive flak. From mutilating a girl in his MTV to kissing A-do on the mouth, JJ has sold as many copies of his album as he has been called controversial. The latest incident is his riot-of-colours plaid look on the cover of his new album Sixology.

The 27-year-old singer, who has been honoured with awards such as Hong Kong, Taiwan Best Composer 2005, seems to be received with mixed feelings in Singapore. People can’t decide whether to celebrate his regional success or chide him for thinking a pictorial book with a picture of him on the toilet bowl (with his pants down no less) is humourous.

But I say: Singapore, give him a chance. JJ should be applauded for stepping out of the box and daring to be different. Besides, the guy is feeling hurt. He recently posted on his blog that he is especially hurt by negative feedback from his “home country”.
 
Perhaps we’re just not used to seeing him be so daring, thanks to his boyish, clean cut image. But boys do grow up. And I think it’s time the public does too.      

Tell Us: Do you think JJ Lin is daring in his artistic choices? Or do you think he is trying too hard to be different and failing? What do you think of the plaid look on his new album cover?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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Found nothing wrong with JJ Lin’s new look. It is refreshing.

If all album cover is with 3pc suit, and the usual type, then the album cover will be like uniform in school. Are we so square?

Mary Ho

JJ’s a clown? I totally don’t agree with the comment that some singaporeans gave. To me personally, as a malay guy and a big fan of JJ, he actually dresses well la. I adore his clothings la. This shows that he is daring to do differently,rather than appear in sleeveless top which other artiste love to do, which i find it boring and lame. In overall,he’s taste of fashion is superb. And no matter what he wears he will look good. So to those who say his a clown. Look yourself at the mirror.

Khairy AK

Seto Says: Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. That, to me, pretty much sums up the uphill task in trying to get local music on-air.

It’s a tricky balance - between good quality local fare and listener ratings. But cable broadcaster Rediffusion is taking a bold first step in introducing the first 24-hour station, called RediStar, dedicated to playing only local music. Some say it’s a welcome move because any exposure is good exposure. But some say, why segregate between local and non-local?

Admittedly, Rediffusion has the luxury of not worrying if listeners decide to switch channels on a whim. Unlike free-to-air which is heavily-dependant on market forces, Rediffusion has a ready
bank of paid subscribers who would naturally want to make full use of their subscription fees.

But what’s more important is, will plying the airwaves with local music expand the scene? Will the music translate from a smaller cable channel to mainstream radio, and dare we hope, into album sales? I’d like to think of it as a crucial first step, the way college and indie stations in the US (and of late, the Internet) have helped to give some bands their first real break.

Tell Us: Will you tune in to the new 24-hour station dedicated to local music? Do you think this will be a boost to the local music scene?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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LETTERS VIA E-MAIL

Singapore is a tiny red dot on the world map,that dictates the fact that any local artiste who intends to makes it big has to strike it out overseas. Our local artistes who has gone global is a very impressive one for a country our size. That list includes Electrico, A-do,Kit Chan,Joi Chua, Tanya Chua, Mavis Hee,Ho Yeow Sun, Huang Yida, JJ Lin, Eric Moo and Stefanie Sun. All of them made it with a combination of factors, selling themselves to the global crowd, heavy airplay on local and international radio, appearances as well as album sales. It goes without saying that the radio is a an important chain in an artiste’s quest for popularity.A high percentage of album sales and artiste recognisation stemmed from casual encounters with an artiste’s music on the radio.Radio gave many artistes their big break and it goes without saying that local artistes need our support in whatever capacity possible.The fact that the new station is on a paid radio channel means that it’s shut off from many would-be listeners. It may not make immediate financial sense but i believe the station should have been on a free station.That will significantly enlarge the potential target audience and give the local artistes the exposure they crave for.

As it is,too few people will have access to the station and the boost to the local music scene will be minute.

Peng Tie Lun

Germaine Says: So the F1 weekend has finally come and gone.

And what a jam-packed three days of glamourous parties, fine dining and celebrity-spotting it has been. From the F1 party at Attica, to the Vertu party at IndoChine, to the Motor Racing Golf & Gala Dinner on Sentosa. And celebrities like Michelle Yeoh, former F1 driver Damon Hill and 2008 Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza were spotted. Not to mention the slew of eateries around the F1 track which revved up their menus with special F1-related weekend deals.

But in terms of our shopping and nightlife sector, how much have we benefitted from having our first night race on the streets of Singapore? Retailers in the Marina area lamented empty stores and quiet malls as Singaporeans stayed away because of the road closures.

I think we should take things into context. Of course, with hosting a huge event like this, there will be inconveniences on a local scale. But this is the premier motor-racing event in the world and hosting this has put us on the world map with countries like Japan, Italy, Brazil and of course, our neighbour Malaysia. And at the dollar being targetted is not yours but the tourists who come to witness this event.

What’s a few days of inconvenience compared to such bragging rights?

Tell Us: How do you think hosting the F1 race here has helped our entertainment sector? Should we host more races in the future?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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As one of the volunteers in orange overalls,I was standing under the sweltering heat for days on end to end,Hence i can’t claim to be any kind of expert on the FnB options around the vicinity.All i had was packed food and Nuts bars for days.The last thing i would be doing would be to spend my hard earned dollars on overpriced tourist baits.However i do have a few observations to mention.On my way to the track side, i did not notice any significant crowd increment in Citylink Mall nor Marina Square. Throngs of people were there doing their thing as usual. I did not witness any huge crowds at any of the food outlets either.Then again i am always there around noon and the crowd really gets overwhelming at night, closer to race hours.We have all heard of the exorbitant charges some restaurants and hotels have been charging for prime viewing spots during race time, but i don’t think that pocket of a few hours will give our FnB outlets any kind of sig! nificant boost.

As for the other topic, i do believe international events such as IOC 05′ and GP:SG 08′ should be hosted whenever possible for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, tourists may not spend that much on food, but they definitely need a place to stay.The boost to our hotel industry is a massive boon.International VIPS who bump into town for our events may like what they see and see Singapore in a better light.Those global heavyweights can certainly play a part in strengthening our economy with their massive investments!Secondly, it gives our amenities such as the much heralded Singapore International Airport more airtime and that rise in profile will benefit Singapore in both a long and short termed basis.If we can handle such massive crowds, it’s virtually a badge of pride for our operations. Thirdly,it challenges Singapore’s otherwise arguably rigid administration to loosen up and pursue new perspective and angles. Creating the race track in the middle o! f town has to be a innovation we should be proud of.To fit in a long race track in the middle of town entailed a huge shift in mindsets and point of views.We made it happen! Fourthly,there is no better way to tickle sporting afficionados than to present to them their sporting heroes in blood and flesh right in front of them. If you told someone else we would host a night GP a decade ago, we’ll probably get laughed in our faces. Look whose laughing now?

Peng Tie Lun

May Choon Says: Local movie buffs, you’re spoiled for choice this month, thanks to two closely watched local movie sequels hitting the big screen.

First, there’s Jack Neo’s Money No Enough 2, the second part to his money-spinning Money No Enough. Then there’s wonder-boy Royston Tan’s 12 Lotus, the follow-up to his smash getai hit 881.

Both movies are highly anticipated, especially since their first instalments were huge box office successes. But have they lived up to the hype?

The reviews so far have been a mixed bag. Lianhe Zaobao said Money No Enough 2 is “funny and realistic enough”, but The Straits Times slams Jack for being a “one-trick pony”. Likewise, The Straits Times praises 12 Lotus’ “boisterous mood” and musical interludes, but The Business Times gave the movie a C+.

Tell Us: What is your verdict on these two movies? Do they live up to the hype or have local critics been too harsh?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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LETTERS VIA E-MAIL

Having watched both movies, I must say that both directors made the sequels in identical veins as the first movie. However having been outstanding in their initial foray, the follow up was always going to take some beating.

The audience for the two movies might be drastically different as one is shot in a more artistic and experimental manner and the other is a more television-like and direct style. There are both pros and cons to their approaches.

For Roystan, his vision of the movie was to make classical opera and ge tai appear modern and psychedelic, that would help attract the younger generation who are used to the artsy fartsy. The tai-tais and ah peks would also flock to this movie because the 7th month and last year’s 881 would have whetted their appetite for more hokkien songs and flashy costumes.

In providing the asthetics, Roystan did admirably and many people who wanted the music to be good were not disappointed. However the plot was neglected somewhat in the middle of the show and ended up being a bit draggy and sketchy. This happens to alot of sequels but the failing was not too serious over here. Plus the fact that there is a certain harmony between the main characters, overall it made a positive experience. Certainly the critics were not as harsh on 12 Lotus as they were on Money no enough 2. Yet because 881 was such a resounding success that to live up as its hype was difficult and Roystan did not manage it but did come close.

Jack Neo who is an veteran entertainer and has hits like Home Run and Granny Liang under his belt, was always going to face more pressure from the critics and general public. His method was always to take the more pertinent issues in society and protray them on the big screen to reflect how ordinary citizens really feel.

Perhaps his maturity as a director made him realized that comedy alone will not be enough to draw the audience this time round. He has included some reflective moments with the relationship of the 3 brothers who were played by Jack, Henry and Mark and their on screen mother.

Somehow that made for the more poignant moments in the movie and since the comic relief is so similar to that of his monday variety show, it seemed less of a comedy but a social documentary. In the end, it is still the actors who bailed the show out of jail and made the viewing so much more endurable. I have to agree with the critics that it did not live up to the hype of its predecessor as Singapore’s highest grossing movie.

Despite viewers’ consternation towards too much products placement, Jack blatantly flooded his movie with so many local brands that it became a personal challenge to spot and point out these products as the movie goes along. Although I regretted paying the cinema fare to watch the show, I might have enjoyed it when it comes onto the TV as our saturday night movie. Lets not discount Jack’s ability to produce another blockbuster in the future as like many Singapore, he has demostrated the Singaporean mentality of never giving up! Ai pia, jia eh yah! ( must fight then can win)
Ong Kok Wah

Sheela Says: Let’s face it, when it comes to having a killer body, most athletes score big in that department. That, of course, excludes sports that require you to look like a towering mountain of flesh.

I’ve found that our local athletes score high on the attractive scale. But in terms of the attention scale, they are sorely losing out to their Western counterparts. While many Singaporean know about swimmers like Michael Phelps or Amanda Beard, I was hard pressed to find someone who knew most of our attractive athletes.

Other than Li Jiawei and Ronald Susilo that is. But we all know why. Their romance, break-up and legal woes played out like Taiwanese soap opera right on our front pages.

Maybe our athletes need to do what their international counterparts do most of the time - show off those killer abdominal muscles and sexy lycra-ed bodies in a calendar or in a popular magazine. What a way to create a buzz for the sport and for themselves.

Tell Us: Do you think our Singapore athletes are just as hot as their Western counterparts? What do they need to do to get more attention?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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In response to “Team Singapore: Sizzling!”I like to say that local sports celebs are as hot as their international counterparts.I believed local sports celebs can promote themselves and their sporting fields is to appear in schools to promote such sports in the national level.Such will motivate the local students and by doing so, these motivated students may follow the footsteps of the local sports celebs and be our future Singapore Olympians.Not only that, the relevant bodies can also hold events whereby they can meet up with the general public so that Singapoeans can have chance to mingle and rub shoulder with our local sports celebs.

I like to say that we Singaporeans seems to be more interested in foreign sports celebs because i believed local celebs are always here and available compared to international sports celebs who may be here once every four years or worse, only once in a life time.A very good example is recently when the US Olympic Swim Team was in town for their training,I read that many supporters waited for these celebs at the training facilities to catch a glimpse as well as to get their autographs and to have pictures taken with them.I am also pleased and honoured to have met, wished and have photos taken with both Dara Torres and Michael Phelps when they were in Singapore.Same goes for the Brazilian Olympic Football Team who were in Singapore for a friendly game with the Singapore Team before their games in the Beijing Olympics.

In 2004, i stayed overnight at Changi Airport to welcome the Singapore Olympians to thank them for doing their best for Singapore in the Athens Olympics.I was disappointed and angry and even cried that Li Jia Wei did not win any medal at the 2004 Olympics.She was so close to winning a medal and not only that, she was in the lead in the final game.After feeling disappointed and angry at her, i cried because i felt remorseful and guilty for being so harsh on her.I failed to put myself in her shoe and about her feeling

I will be at Changi Airport to welcome all the Singapore Olympians for doing their best for Singapore at the 29th Beijing Olympics.To me, all of them are gold medalist winners for Singapore.If they are able to win any medals at the Olympics,such will definitely be a bonus for Singapore.

Ace Kindred Cheong

Attractiveness is a very complex trait and relies on many factors apart from just physical attributes.
It is true that our athletes have well-toned and shapely bodies, but with so many hotbods around,
well defined muscles are no longer enticing enough for the masses to fall heads over heeds in love with them.
Most people will agree that our sportsmen come nowhere close to their western counterparts on the hotness scale.
I fall within that category and I must admit that our athletes need to step up a few notch in order to transform
themsevles into a Pan-Asia or even a global sports star.

First of all, world class talents are what most sporting superstars possess. Phelps is the talk of the Olympics because of his natural
extraordinary apitude in the waters. Breaking records would be a good way to expand your fanbase especially in
your home nation. You have Nadal who brought Federer’s reign to an end. No doubt that their behemoth talents
which was on display during their titanic battles earned them legions of fans world wide. Tao Li, in setting a new
Asian record would have gained a measured degree of fame and most important, respect from Singaporeans.
If she can keep up with her progress, you can see our nation keeping regular tabs on her.

The stars are not chosen based on the size of their abdominalis rectus, biceps or gluteus maximus.
Media exposure will follow natural talents. Exclusive interviews in popular magazines, exotic shots on mediterranean
shores for calenders and Oprah’s invitation to her show are all by-products of success.
In turn, they enhance the popularity of the sportsmen and magnify their achievements.
We can encourage local magazines and our TV stations to feature more of our gladiators.
Yet all the media attention might just prove to be too dangerous a distraction. Just look at
Anna Kournikova and Michelle Wie, though the jury is still out on the latter.

The inherent attractiveness of the sports a sportman choose is also important. Sportsmen of more popular sports
like football, basketball, or racing tend to garner more attention. If we can produce another Fandi Ahmad and he
gets snap up by a European club, he would famous in Asia for being our representative. Yaoming is also another
icon revered not only by the Chinese but many others residing on this continent. Lets pay more attention to
our football stars, in hope that because of the attention, more people would take up the sport. In that process
we might just get lucky and unearth a real gem and he would truly have every Singaporean’s attention.

We might also be more fervant in following our sportsmen if they have been born and raised in Singapore. We have
been turning to foreign talents in our quest for sporting glory. In the process we might have alienated our own aspiring
talents. I must say our foreign imports have been doing their best to bring honor to this country. Perhaps with
our sports school, we could have another Ang Peng Siong or Tan Howe Liang and the nation will fall in behind them.

Ng Chin Kiang

I must agree with Sheela in her assessment of the physical attractiveness of our athletes. Have you seen our swimmers and the water polo guys glistering barebodied with sweat and water under the sun ? That sight would be enough to melt the hearts of many local girls. Our cherubic Taoli and the sweet looking Li Jia Wei would not look out of place in a mini beauty contest like Miss Chinatown or Miss Sentosa. I can go on about how many of our athletes have both the talents and physical attributes to be media darlings and regional idols.

Yet when it comes to local and international recognition and fame, it is people like Michael Phelps, Amanda Bread, Kobe Bryant and the likes who are hogging the limelight. Perhaps the fact that they are Americans and the world’s obsession with the hollywood culture sees them gracing TV shows, magazines and calenders. It helps that the American paparazzis are hot on their heels. I cannot imagine our friendly singapore reporters hot on the tailcoats of Remy Ong or Susilo, staking outside their HDB apartments, snapping in earnest as they take out their trash to throw. Then climbing down the rubbish chute and rummaging through all the dump for some used durex or parking fine ticket.

Headline grabber Amanda Bread is not shy of the media. She dared to bare all for her anti-fur protests and even appeared as an anchor for a sports news program.She even appeared on playboy. Say lets get FHM singapore or Maxim to do a lingerie shot of our female Table Tennis team. Definitely all our angsty mothers and grandmothers will be up in arms about how scandalous and degrading it is.

Football and basketball stars get all the attention because of the television power they command. I usually switch to channel 8 when a local match is showed, I rather watch CEO Fann Wong Vs Madwoman Fann wong than Jalan Besar Vs Sengkang. We are keen to watch and keep tabs on the olympics because of all the pubilicity and media coverage.

So what do our athletes need to do for more attention? While making sure that the media spotlight is not distracting them from training, they can appear on more variety shows, engage a publicity manager to handle these after office hours commitments. Hire a top class grooming assistant and make sure they appear ravishing at all times.

Lastly they need to be more charismatic. With the same amount of delication and commitment shown in their sport, they can transfer that discipline and fervor to political and global issues. Just like Eunice Olsen who went from beauty queen to NMP, maybe shooter Lee Wung Yew can gun down some MPs in the parliament as another NMP. Being passionate about the country and the world would definitely see local athletes’ profiles raised. Perhaps our local football team’s uniform might just carry Unicef’s insignia as a show of support for poverty and AIDS issues in Africa. Then maybe Lionel Lewis might be the Beckham of Asia. (Apologies to Beckham fans, I know the LA galaxy star will never have a bad hair day.)

Tan Wei Teng

The attention given to Michael Phelps and Amanda Beard is overwhelming.

Besides owning killer bods, their good performances earned them rights to be in the media spotlight.

True, we do have some attractive athletes, but are they on par with their western counterparts? I definitely don’t think so.

The truth hurts, but comparing consistency, levels of commitment, they beat us hands down.

A true sportsman or sportswoman must possess a ‘never say die attitude’, and I was flabbergasted when exclamation of being ‘tired’ came out of the mouth of our swimmer, Tao Li.

Let’s inch a little away and talk about soccer. Singaporean just simply adore foreign footballers.

They would rather watch EPL matches to S-League matches.

Remember the recent Brazil/Singapore match?

No doubt Indra Sadhan is a great player, but did the fans flock there to watch him in action?

On the contrary, my good man.

They were there for just one man, and that person was none other than the Brazilian player, Ronaldinho.

What I’m trying to emphasize is that in order to gain more attention, its not how you look, but how well you play the game.

No amount of publicity or media coverage will help if you can’t deliver.

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate Feng Tianwei for achieving what others had failed to do.

Persist and success will be yours!

Anna Law

Foreigns stars like phelps and ronaldinho are commanding worldwide attention at the olympics because of their success in the sporting arena. Naturally our nation will be just as fascinated with their progress at the olympics as the rest of the world. They are phenomenal in their own sports and that makes them hot. Besides demostrating unquestionable talents, these famous blokes are modest about their achievements and has this unsatiable thirst for more conquests. All these qualities will put them in favorable light and draw fans to them. So while you would rather take Li Jiawei out on a date than Usafa Powell, its the latter who ranks higher on the sizzling scale for most people.

Granted our athletes are breaking national and asian records but so many records are being broken at the olympics that I have lost count. Or bother even counting.

To the singaporeans who are used to wnning international accolades for our academic abilities, our world class airport, our graft free government and so on, losing will never make you hot. Even if ronald susilo has more abs than ronaldinho, no one will bat an eyelid unless he beats a certain Lin Dan en route to a medal.

So while our local newspapers may give our record-breaking representatives the headline, online reports from other countries are unlikely to grant more than a cursory sentence to them. It all comes down to medals eventually. Reporters only interviews the winners and unless our sportsmen really win something, breaking asian records will only be rewarded with a footnote.

It seems that our table tennis girls are finally set to deliver at least a set of glorious silver medals home. Then there is the promise of much more than 2nd place. They could do us prouder by beating the hosts and world number 1 Zhang Yining in their own courtyard. Their acheivement to date has already generated an extraordinary amount of buzz online in the local community and everywhere else in singapore. There is not one forum that does not have well wishes for our paddlers and that proves that athletic achievements is the best way to grab attention. Phelps who? Beat china and you have hordes of bloggers praising and drawing inspiration from them. You might even have the very active chinese bloggers cursing them for spoiling their party, or admiring our girls for realising a small nation’s dream.

Ong Guan Hong

Anyone who watched yesterday’s table tennis finals which featured our best pingpong girls against China’s elite must have felt the adrenaline pumping as the players traded shots for shots and displayed great technique and mental fortitude. WHo say that our players are not as hot as their western counterparts? I was up and down in my couch and sweat coursed down my forehead as I cheered and cursed every single antic of the players. When Feng won her first set, the temperature rose through the sky in my living room. Ice man Phelps and Cool Girl Amanda Bread just have to take a backseat to our country’s finest gladiators on show. Every PM Lee’s speech was rescheduled in the face of our sizzling final.

In that morning, Phelps broke the record number of Olympics gold medal, the night before, Jamaican runners took their events by storm in both ladies and guys categories. However the talk of the town was still Feng, Li and Wang. Every newspaper carried well wishes for them and while we knew that our chances were slim against the Chinese, we still hoped for a miracle.

That is exactly what players must do to grab national and world wide attention. Excel in their sports, get to a final and eventually we might break our duck and bring home a coveted gold medallion. To achieve the silver at Olympics is phenomenal. Even sporting greats like Ronaldo, Pete Sampras and Tiger Woods cannot boast of a silver medal. We have two rising talents in Feng and swimmer TaoLi. Both are still young and given today’s achievement, there remains plenty of untapped potential. I hope the nation will throw our weight behind them for the next four years, follow their exploits closely and lend them all the support they need. Four years later, our gold medal just come from one of the.

Earlier our national football team had won the Asian cup and every pub along clarke quay was showing that match. When Ubekzistan visited Singapore, fans flocked to the national stadium to cheer our team on. National identity is something that runs in our blood. When we see a fellow singaporean fighting for honors in the name of Singapore, we will rise to the occasion and cheer them on with all our hearts. I am sure many people still remember the dream 2010 where then PM Goh threw down the challenge of qualifying for the World Cup in 2010. Although we did not do it this time, we will try again and again.

With the youth Olympics in 2010 to be hosted in Singapore, I am sure more attention will be focused on our local athletes. By then our table tennis triplet will be senior figures in the set up and the whole nation will look to them to impart their world beaters skills to our prodigies. The future looks bright and I am sure with all the investment and support for our budding sportspersons, they will only become hotter and hotter. May they be golden hot soon!

Ong Kok Wah

May Choon Says: I never thought I’d see the day that Fann Wong would be named Best Actress… outside of Caldecott Hill, that is.

Yet, it has happened. The good people behind the inaugural West Hollywood International Film Festival (WHIFF) have bestowed this honour on the Singaporean lass for her role as a ballroom dancing instructor grappling with love in the Singapore-produced movie Dance Of The Dragon.

That’s not all. Dance Of The Dragon swept 10 major awards, including Best Festival Movie, Best Director (John Radel), Best Actor (Jang Hyuk) and The Special Mention Jury Award.

Too bad the festival itself hardly made ripples in Hollywood, where it is based. The four-day festival had no mentions in the wire agencies or newspapers. And it’s panel of judges - made up of names in American TV shows - draw a blank.

Besides, if you’ll remember, Dance Of The Dragon definitely did not rank as one of our better-made exports. It bombed at the box office, raking in only $170,000, and was slammed by most local critics.

Wonder if the guys at WHIFF got whiff of that.

Tell Us: Did you seen Dance Of The Dragon when it was shown here? Are you surprised at its win at the film festival?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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To start off, the questions should not be, “Are you not surprised that Dance Of The Dragon (DOTD) won so many US accolades?” and “Do you think it deserves to?”. But rather, “Do you know what is the West Hollywood International Film Festival (WHIFF)?” I obviously didn’t.

While I’m sure many people are wowed by the title of the festival. But does having “Hollywood” and “International” mean anything? Would you be equally wowed if DOTD swept all of the awards at the Djibouti International Film Festival? A quick search using the popular search engine, Google, turned up 383,000 results with the WHIFF website at the top. But the website didn’t give one of the most important information that is what movies took part in the WHIFF. Would you be surprise if DOTD won because it was stacked up against even worse international film? The rest of the websites didn’t help much to enlighten me either. A search on Wikipedia turned up absolutely nothing. If Wikipedia was anything to go by, it just goes on to show how unknown the WHIFF is. And Wikipedia do have alot of information on even the most obscure of things.

I really do hope someone would come out and enlighten me on the WHIFF. Because as of now, it bring to my mind those dubious reviews and quotes B-Grade movies almost always put of their movie ads. e.g. “5 Stars! - A Movie Critic”. “Arguably the best action flick of 2007 - B Movie Critic”. The only difference now is that DOTD can put a legit WHIFF logo with the caption “10 WHIFF award winner!” on their DVD cover.

If my reviews are anything to go by: Dance of the Dragon! Absolute crap! - J Movie Critic

Joshua Wong

In response to “Panned at home, Fann’s movie wows US film fest”.I like to congratulate everyone who has been involved in the movie “Dance Of The Dragon” or DOTD.I was invited to attend the gala at The Cathay and also to the post party held at Indochine.I was surprised and impressed that DOTD won 10 awards.Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to watch.However i also heard many comments that the movie is not worth to watch.

If such is the case, how did DOTD won so many awards?I believed that is so because Singaporeans are too critical and negative and many in general do not support movies made locally as Singaporeans in general believed that local productions are not up to standards as compared to foreign countries such as the Hollywood.Same for local beauty pageants, Many Singaporeans in general do not support local contestants and they criticise instead of support.I have even read and hear comments such as, “Wah Lao Eh,such contestants can also join beauty pagents, then my grand mother can also join leh.No standard.” With such attitude,how do we expect local productions to excel even in our own country.

I like to say that Singaporeans in general are more interested in movies that depict Sex, Violence, Crimes, Bloody scene and many other negative impact than things like Dance, Arts, and others.I read that the latest Star Wars movie “The Clone Wars” was created in Singapore and read that George Lucas was even in town to have a preview of the latest movie.If Singaporeans have a chance to meet either George Lucas or local famous directors and producers, how many would choose to meet up with George Lucas over our local production team?I believed the answer would be very obvious.

I believed Singapore made movies lack local supports.If such is so, i believed such movies would not be very popular if shown only in Singapore.Such local movies will do much better overseas because the markets are much bigger and foreign audiences may be more mature and ready to accept such movies who can appreciate arts, dances and others.I have also read that many local movies made in Singapore and by local directors and producers are more popular in other countries than in Singapore.

Last but not least, I like to wish Fann Wong a speedy recovery as i read that she had to miss the award presentation as she was not feeling well and is under medication.

Ace Kindred Cheong

I think the awards are given and that’s final, don’t think there’s anything to debate about, nor it is very nice to say whether they deserved it or not about others winning. It is the panel of judges choice we should respect their decision and the awards itself. Well the film doesnt do well locally, it is because the film itself is more of an art film with a slow pace where Singaporean wouldn’t like or enjoy this type of film here, but that does not mean the film is bad even the local box office is not ideal. Anyway the diector and producers also mentioned that this is not a film for local market but meant for international stage. They pin their hopes overseas and now the winning has achieved their goals.

This award festival has no mentions in the wire agencies or newspapers, i believe its because it is the first year running but it definitely will have more years to come and its good that Fann is the poineer for Best Actress.

I personally went in cinema to watch the show and enjoyed the show which i think Fann did well on her emotions and dancing. We should be happy that our local star fann wong bring home the award and glory.

Ben Choo

Dance of the Dragon was supported fervently by the Singapore Tourism Board. STB lent a hand to the production because the film was shot entirely in Singapore, showcasing many of our famous sightseeing locations.

As I had an American friend over at that period, I thought it would be apt to bring him to the show. The cast could be considered experienced and as close to A list as possible for a local production.

Do remember that Fann Wong acted alongside Jackie Chan and Jason Scott Lee is famous for his performances in Timecop2 and the Jungle Book among other hollywood entertainers. My friend Brian certainly recognized both of them though he could not quite recall their names.

Personally I thought it was another measured performance by the experienced trio, however their acting were hampered by the slow and meandering story development. Perhaps the focus of the film was on the the intricacies of ballroom dancing.

The directors also explored the web of relationships with much sensitivity and artistry. That of course would not sit well with the movie-goers because we are afterall not reviews or connoiseurs of films, we are after the visuals and a relaxing time.

In this fast paced society, an epic must contain stunning CG effects, grandiose outdoor shoots, some disturbingly scenes and impactful acting.

In terms of outdoor shoots, DOTD have Cityhall, Clarke Quay and Robinson Road. Compare that to Nardia or Lord of the Rings, where the majestic nature of the New Zealand plains were shown in full bloom. DOTD was always going to lose out in terms of that yet to a Singaporean, these scenes still filled me with pride and a sense of familiarity. Other Singaporeans might not be able to dissociate Fann Wong with television and since they could watch her on TV at 9pm, why pay 8 to 10 bucks just to see her gyrate with a korean or ABC?

JAng Hyuk is an aspiring dance student who taught himself by imitating videotape dancers, protrayed the transition of a novice shaker to an accomplished dancefloor exponent with ease. Fann Wong too could fool us into thinking she has had professional training as a ballerina. Their on screen chemistry deserves a mention.

Together they waltz to the tune of the movie and Jason Scott’s fiery attempt to thwart both of them adds a new sizzling dimension to the show sometimes. As the producers attempt to spin the complex web of relationships between the characters, you wonder if they were overdoing it. Sometimes we are just satisfied with boy A meets girl, B turns out to be a bad apple and girl happily absconds with A. Something like that.

Movies with “what ifs” and complicated choices do not do well at box offices. Morality and mirrors of reality do well in books and essays. They may win you critics but not box office success. So it is not surprising that the Inaugural West Hollywood International Film festival bestowed upon the film so many accolades. These people are the ones who try to understand the movie and not the ones who just watch a movie.

In DOTD we have a nice ethnic mix of singaporean, American chinese and Korean set in an urban Asian city. The theme of ballroom dancing may not be new and retired dancing champions even staler but the producers injected adrenaline into this subject by throwing in bits and pieces of martial arts along the way. The land of revolution is feverished with martial arts craze and anything asian. They seemingly will lap up ballroom dancing if it is wrapped with an asian skin. Also due to the economic downturn, there were not many outstanding Asian movies recently, DOTD made its debut at the festival at a correct time.

There are many films which did not garner blockbuster status but did well at film festivals. Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood of Love did well overseas with the judges, so did other lesser known China movies like JIang Cheng Xia Ri. Of course it would be a greater honor if DOTD could win awards at the Cannes Film Festival but lets be proud of our Singaporean production which has taken on a cosmopolitan feel and did well on the international stage.

Ong Kok Wah

Sheela Says: Guess it’s not enough being a Singapore Idol, an Asian Idol and winners of popular awards at a regional awards show. When Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza were not nominated for the 2008 MTV Asia Music Awards’ (MAA) Favourite Artiste Singapore Artist Category, fans were miffed.

MTV Asia’s press release said that the nominees for these categories are “movers and shakers who shape the local music industry as well as the most popular international artists in Asia” who are chosen by “music industry players.” I have no issues with the four current Favourite Artiste (Singapore) nominees: Electrico, Stefanie Sun, JJ Lin and Tanya Chua. They have done the local music industry proud on a regional and international stage.

But I would consider Hady winning Asian Idol and Taufik - who has several popular awards under his belt and who recently cracked into the protective Malaysian music market - as movers and shakers of the local music industry too. Mind you Taufik has won this award in 2006 and Hady has never even been nominated before.

Besides, the number of nominees in the Singapore category went down from five to four this year compared to 2006. Could that be a reason why that the two singers missed a berth on that boat - simply no more room on the list for either one of them? What are the criteria to make it as a nominee - popularity, album sales or both? And who are these “industry players” that get to make the call on who deserves to get nominated and who don’t?

Tell Us:  What do you think of the MAA Favourite (Singapore) nominees? Do you think Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza deserve to be nominated?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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We are very disappointed to hear that our idol Taufik Batisah is not included on the list. Need we say more why he should be included? One thing for sure he deserves it!

Another request, we love to see him perform at the MTV awards. We dont mind travel to Malaysia for the event and meet his ‘fiknatics’ fans in Malaysia to show our undying support.

Sophie DC

I am quite disappointed by this year’s MTV nomination. As an Indonesian student living in Singapore who is interested in the music industry particularly the Asian region, I follow the career of various musicians like Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza, Mike Mohede (Indonesian Idol 2005), Ihsan Tarore (Indonesian Idol 2006) and many more.

As widely known, the Malaysian and Indonesian music industries are tough and protective industries to break through for Singapore musicians. The fact that Taufik Batisah managed to break into the Malaysian music industry and Hady Mirza managing to break into the Indonesian music industry goes to show how both musicians represent a new generation of Singapore musicians. I started noticing the Singapore music industry as an industry to be reckoned with thanks to Hady Mirza’s incredible win at the Asian Idol last December. The fact that both Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza are not nominated at the MTV Asia Awards is a big mistake.

A question I have in my mind right now is what are the criteria of being nominated? If it is only based on album sales, then it is true that both musicians have not released any album this year. How about the release of Taufik Batisah’s third album Teman Istimewa (Special Friend) released late last year? Although both musicians have not released an album this year, shouldn’t their accolades and awards be counted? Releasing an album in the right time slot doesn’t mean that a musician is a “mover and shaker who shapes the local music industry as well as the most popular international artists in Asia.”

One point to remember, even though the Singapore Idols (Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza) are not the only musicians that have brought new energy to the Singapore music industry these past few years, the Idols should be recognised for their hard work in trying to bring back the golden years in Singapore’s music industry.

Widya Tarina Said

Jeanmarie Says: Enough of the multicultural 3-in-1 (read: rojak) ethnic influences or Vanda Miss Joaquim prints.

This year, somebody on the Miss Singapore Universe (MSU) committee had a brain wave. And finally, we get to see the Merlion, a beloved Singapore icon, be the inspiration to this year’s MSU national costume worn by winner Shenise Wong.

There’s so much potential to go deliciously avant garde, and I was hoping for something similar to what Project Runway winner Christian Siriano would design for his runway shows. You know, fierce and fabulous. The result, however, although not horrific, was also not great.

Sure, every fashionista has an opinion, but it basically looks like a mermaid dress, especially since there’s no “lion” element - maybe that could be incorporated somehow before Shenise makes her way to Vietnam in mid-July for the grand finals. Kudos to 18-year-old student designer Hafiz for trying his best though. And hey, at least it’s something we’ve never seen before.

More points to him for his playful sense of humour too. When I asked him what other local icon could possibly inspire next year’s outfit, he blurted out Ah Meng. Orang-utan fur coat, anyone?

Tell Us: What do you think of Shenise’s Merlion-inspired national costume? What do you think Singapore’s national costume should be at the Miss Universe pageant?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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The dress that miss singapore universe Shenise wong will be wearing to the international finals, may be different but I don’t think it will be a hit. The scales are a little too tacky and the previous dresses look a lot better. I think Singapore should allow younger designers to make the dress to show that singapore is a young nation with great young talents! this way, young hopefuls like me get chances to design something for the country and also gain experience in designing for big clients. Making them prepared for their desired future.

Dildeep Kaur

Firstly I would like to CONGRATS the designer who had comes out with that beautiful design.
My opinion is the guy has done his best to come out with those design. I could see the elegance in Shenise Wong when I saw her wearing the costume on the news.
I don’t think the designer deserve a critism as he had put his heart and soul to it.
He is onli 18 and yet he could design an awesome costume. So, professional fashion designer should not criticise his design BUT to encourage and improve his design if needed to. We, as a Singaporean should appreciate young talent like him. Nowadays majority of the population think that youngsters cant work. But they are totally wrong.
Thats my opinion.

Syahirah

I refer to the recent post about the Merlion-inspired national costume that Miss Singapore Universe will be wearing to the international finals next month.

I have to admit that the dress certainly caught my attention when I first saw it in the papers. The concept was innovational and broke away from the conventional orchid prints, multi-ethnic inspired costumes we usually see.

However, while the concept was daring and inspirational, the execution and the outcome was a fashion disaster.

The silver Merlion dress, complete with ’scales’ on the body of the dress, flare at the bottom and ‘birdnest’ hairstyle, could not bring out the elegance and uniqueness Ms Singapore Universe is supposed to portray. In one recent report, Ms Shenise Wong mentioned that she felt like a mermaid and was comfortable in the dress. But just ask any lady with a fashion sense if she would like to wear this on an international stage, the most likely answer would be no.

Taking a symbol of Singapore and incorporating the essence of it onto a piece of art, such as a national dress, is great. But do it subtly with the right application. Being creative is good but being too creative does make the creation loses its focus.

A national dress expresses an identity through costumes which relate to the uniqueness of the country. No one could diminish the fact that the Merlion is a symbol of Singapore. But there are many other symbols that make us unqiue, such as our culture, our heritage, our food, our multi-ethnic society, etc….Choose something that can be better represented.

One example would be the orchid. The costume need not have loud orchid prints all over it. But by studying the essence of an orchid, it is not hard to work on factors like colour tone, flareness, vibrant, etc….It can just be a simple one piece long flowy dress with subtle colour tones of an orchid incorporated.

The Merlion dress is just over-doing it.

Karen Tan

Hi, i m sure its going to be eye catching at the pageant! At last we have our uniquely ours and singapore costume! Forget about those rojak costume ever year!

Supporter of Merlion Costume

YOU’re saying WHAT?? THIS is WHAT MISS SINGAPORE will be DONNING? AND no sparkly bits? Where’s the fun in that?If you’re asking whether it’s any better this year, I think it’s not. And it doesn’t even take a fashion expert to think it’s not a “splash”. At a glance, I thought it was a dress made of recycled products. Maybe by the fact that it looked tacky. The scales that is! Upon reading and realising what this dress really meant for, it brought utter disappointment that we couldn’t have created a better dress than this ‘get-together’. Truthfully, I’m awed that the Merlion has conjured an inspiration this time round but not when it turned out this way. It doesn’t even outshine our Miss Singapore. There’s no element of elegance and lacking in richness and boldness of creativity. Furthermore, the designer must keep in mind to accentuate her figure and not flaw it. The layer of the fabric below made her appear stocky.
If this is the most that we can portray then we’re doomed. We’re seriously in need of more creative heads.*Scoffs* A plain evening dress would have passed off better. What I feel is that while the designer is trying to be different this time round, there’s not much difference from a merlion costume a 10-year old girl might wear for NDP. Short of fine embellishments, it looked too easy and raw; it couldn’t have been a designer’s work. Merlion-inspired is fine but not looking nearly like it. If she don the lion head she’ll already look like it! It’d better fit for a mascot theme than the national dress. We’re really not artless people though. What a shame!

Aziyyatie Zaimie

I found your writeup on the Singapore costume interesting and would like to make some alternative suggestion.

In my mind it incorporates everything about Singapore - from ethnic groups, to Merlion to Orchids, without looking too weird.

Singapore is just so cosmopolitant that we need to think beyond our shores and try to “internationalise” our National Costume, yet without losing touch with our heritage.

The small, beaded scales motiffs sprinkled subtlely gives the outfit detail symbolizing the Merlion scales without being too overwhelming. The beadwork reflects our Peranakan Heritage, which has, in the past been neglected. Also, the finishing should enable the outfit to look elegant and sophisticated.Details should be present,yet simple and NOT loud. Use of excellent, high-quality fabric like pure silk and Swarokski crystals for the beadwork would help take the outfit into couture ranks.

Using the big applique scales as in the design on Pg27, however, makes the costume look like a cheap, patchwork “Getai” piece or something out of a creatures of the deep comic book! The dangling earrings and strange hairclips add to the busy-ness of the whole appearance. A simple pair of stud earrings and a single strand short necklace to complement the beadwork on the outfit could be a better choice.

The hairdo, on Pg 27 is a definite NO-NO! It makes poor Shenise look like she is having a really bad-hair day. Let us not embarass Singapore like that!

Angeline Bick

From my perspective, the dress has failed to reveal its true identity. And because of this, it fails to reflect the culture, the spirit and the value of our society. For those who don’t know Singapore well, they may actually think that we are designing a ‘mermaid-like’ costume, which make no sense and meaning.
Last year’s costume was already a rubbish - this year’s design was even more rubbish. There is no doubt that Shenise Wong certainly has the looks and the poise to compete in the international stage but her dress has spoilt everything. In short, her good looks (face and body figure) are not compatible with the dress. Hence, I believe the 1.73m beauty does not deserve this kind of ‘trash’.

Yew Choong

Here’s my unequivocal support to Hafiz for his Merlion design. A costume design which will be paraded in any pageantry should have the following I think:-

1. A reflection of the Country’s heritage, history or tradition.
2. A work that does not shout “over the top” although blandness is a no no.
3. Exquisite and when shown off by the wearer leaves an impression that reflects her beauty, charm and elegance.

In this instance, Hafiz’s design has tick all the right columns in my book. It is chic without being unappropriate for an event such as this. Shenice carries it of very beautifully.

Part of the Miss Universe participant’s work at that event is to promote our country, hence I hope the dress will in its small way convey the story of a burgeoning sea port that has grown to tremendously now.

A costume that pays tribute to our heritage. Thumbs up and Kudos to Hafiz and Shenice. Do Singapore proud!!

Bell

Jeanmarie Says: So Eric Khoo’s My Magic didn’t win the big Palme d’Or prize at the recently-concluded Cannes Film Festival.

But did we really expect it to? I don’t mean to belittle our local film industry, but in this case, to be able to be nominated in the main competition and walk the red carpet of an international event is already a national victory and career-high achievement.

And, slowly but surely, a stepping stone to greater things. Best Foreign Film at the Oscars in 10 years time, perhaps? We can dream a little, right?

So what, if, in typically Singaporean fashion, we require endorsement from outsiders in order to embrace and support our homegrown products? Admit it. With all the positive feedback and media attention My Magic has been receiving in the past month and even a reported 15-minute standing ovation at Cannes, isn’t your curiosity piqued? I know I’ll certainly want to catch it when it opens in cinemas here later this year.

But to paraphrase George Orwell, some local films (and directors) are more equal than others. Our movie industry is still in its infancy, and only brand names will sell tickets. Eric has always been a festival darling, especially when Be With Me opened the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2005.

His protege Royston Tan seems to have the most potential to achieve similar success, even though his crowd-pleasing getai flick 881 didn’t resonate critically, in terms of scoring awards or nominations at regional events. Could his second getai offering 12 Lotus do the trick?

Meanwhile, Kelvin Tong has gone from arthouse to commercial (The Maid, Men In White, Rule #1), while Jack Neo continues flogging the heartland horse with Money No Enough 2.

So where does that leave Kallang Roar by little-known director Cheng Ding An? Sadly, I predict it will come just as fast and it will go. And noiselessly, too.

Tell Us: Do you think a local film can top Eric Khoo’s feat at Cannes in the future? What do you want to see more of - or less - in the type of movies our Singaporean filmmakers are producing? Which local movie are you most looking forward to watching this year?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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LETTERS VIA E-MAIL

Is it any surprise that Eric Khoo’s new film didn’t pick up the Palme d’Or? While I was heavily rooting for it, it’s clear that most award selections are very political. It will be difficult for a film out of a small country like Singapore to win. Nonetheless, it’s an achievement being in the running for something as prestigious as the Palme d’Or.

Most of the previous Eric Khoo efforts easier rank among the top twenty films I’ve watched, and I doubt anyone at the moment is capable of supassing his achievements. Remember, Be With Me, could have been in the running for Best Foreign Picture at the Oscars a few years ago, it whatever minimal dialogue wasn’t in English but some other language we’re expected to speak. What’s to say that My Magic, mostly in Tamil, won’t be nominated next year?

While I have watched and enjoyed some films from Singapore, I have also struggled through numerous ones. While the trend in the late 90s was slapstick appealing to the lowest common denominator (all thanks to Money No Enough), the trend these days veer to the extremely pretentious static shots with not much else only Tsai Ming Liang can get away with. There is a catch 22 situation here really. What direction do we take? Will we see future films taking the Jack Neo direction of heartland slapstick and then watch it fall apart like Hong Kong, or Eric Khoo’s arthouse direction that might, hopefully, rank our country as critic darlings when it comes to films much like Iran and parts of the Middle East?

Personally I think art should triumph over commercialism. The best films I’ve seen come from places like Iran, Turkey, Poland which do not have much of a film industry to talk about, but these are the films that are etched in one’s mind longer than the latest heavily promoted blockbuster can ever hope to achieve.

Keith Tan