Last weekend a friend from Singapore came and visited us and stayed over for a couple of nights. They brought with them their 3 year old son, who is unbelievably active. I guess all kids around that age is hyper-active. We introduced Totoro to him and he loved Totoro at first sight and played with him, kissing him and all. Since it is now very near his birthday, my wife gave the Totoro to him without my knowledge. The story of this Totoro is that I bought it for her when she fell sick some time back and I wanted to give her a nice surprise. Since then Totoro has been accompanying her and we had some really good time together, especially when did our Chinese New Year MTV. Now that she is giving him away, I felt a bit sad and with a woman's 6th sense, the next day, she decided to buy a new Totoro for the kid instead. So we went to 1 Utama and found a nice one for the kid. Phew! My Totoro was saved at the last minute!!
While we were at 1 Utama, we watched the “Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy” and bought a book, “iCon”, an unauthorised biography of Steve Jobs. I am amazed by Steve Jobs all these while and this book will be the first one I read about his life. Apparently Steve didn't like the idea and banned the book, and all the books published by the publisher, from all his Apple retail shops. I read the first chapter already and will probably write something about it later.
“The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy” was loads of fun to watch, especially watching that depressed Marvin. Hey, he actually saved the day! The movie is not an easy movie to watch and can be boring. After all the action, you will probably emerge from the cinema hall and ask yourself what is going on and what's the point. But for me, it was enjoyable. I was looking forward to it so much.
The crowd in the new GSC cinema is fine but when I walked over to the TGV side, it is completely packed! Incredibly packed! And I suspect they are queing up for “Initial D”. I wanted to watch the movie on Sunday in Mines but it was fully sold out. In fact, news is that the tickets for the movie was fully sold out everywhere. With GSC now out of the game, TGV will find itself struggling hard to accommodate to the demand. People are complaining about GSC, and TGV more so.
“Why is GSC so stupid one? Never show also. TGV that place so dirty and smelly, if can also dun wan to go. Tickets also dun have. Pirate also dun have, if not go buy pirate better.”
Hmmm….. pirates also don't have? Surely they have, I am quite certain about that. Clear copy too. But they are not releasing it. Why? I probably know why but that's a story I cannot share here. If I see you in person and if you are interested, I will tell you the story.
Movies watched over the weekend include “The House of 72 Tenants”, directed by Chor Yuen. The DVD, original of course, was on sale for only RM19.90. I have watched that movie before but for that price, I can keep it in my collection as well as enjoy the special features, including, as I found out later, the dreaded commentary by Bey Logan. I think Celestial is not going anywhere with the Shaw library. They are significantly reducing the Shaw library content from their Celestial Movie Channel and changing strategy now to offer, as their main attraction, contemporary movies. It is all fine but they must not forget that they are here because of the Shaw library, and producing such cheapskate DVD extra features and downplaying the Shaw content on the channel is a terrible sin, at least committed against the Shaw library itself.
“The House of 72 Tenants” is an excellent movie. A comedy and also a social piece on Hong Kong during that era. People are genuinely nice to each other. Sacrifice for the collective good. And as one of the tenants said, “In these times, if we do not help one another, how are we to live on?”. Brilliant piece of work and superb performance from each of the cast. Apparently, besides that, my very learned friend pointed out that this film helped revive the Cantonese speaking cinema. Read her informed review here. And of course, if you all remember, Stephen Chow Sing Chi paid his tribute to this movie via his “Kungfu Hustle”.
"The key to every man is his thoughts"
The above is a quote from Emerson’s “Circles”.
I was getting so fed-up with the spywares that made my computer crawl like a turtle and I finally did the thing – backed-up my files, re-formatted the drive and re-install everything back. Now, the computer is running so smoothly :)
Today, I went for the launch of the new Golden Screen Cinemas cineplex at One Utama New Wing. One Utama already has a TGV cinema there at the old wing, so this new cineplex is a direct competition. TGV expects to lose about 50-60% of its patrons to this new cinema, according to a source. Many new cinemas are coming up in the Klang Valley, even the Cathay group that manages the Mega Pavilion cineplexes will be coming in to The Curve, which is scheduled to be opened by end of this year. It is a pity, however, to note that all these are happening in the major towns and cities and the smaller towns, including those at the east coast states, still do not have cinemas. So, the pirates and TV still have quite a large market in these areas.
The new GSC cinema is fine, lots of space, a great Golden Class and all but it was rather warm and the lack of space to put up posters is a minus. And they compete directly with TGV. TGV is getting quite agressive now, with plans for many more cineplexes that competes directly with GSC, such as the one planned for in Seremban and Cheras, for example. GSC holds about 55-60% of the market share but if Cathay and TGV teams up and attempts to “fix” GSC, GSC can get into some trouble too, as witnessed now where “Initial D” will not be shown in the GSC circuit, and since “Initial D” is such a strong movie with so much hype around it, GSC being the big boy, will find itself in a very awkward position.
Right after that, we had a meeting with the new guy that has just joined one of our suppliers. With all due respects, he is a really nice fellow but my feeling for people who seem to boasts of his love for Formula 1 racing and begins to ask everyone if he is a F1 fan is too much. I do not go around asking people if they are Go fans. Then he said he loves watching movies and I got a bit excited only to find out that he loves movies produced in Hollywood, not movies as in movies. Then he began to tell us which country he has been to etc. etc. There are people like that in this world. But again, some of them are really nice people and do not have the intention to harm. It’s just that they are not very self-concious. That’s all.
I was reading Emerson again the other day and was wanting to post something here. Here’s an excerpt from his essay “Circles”:
“How often must we learn this lesson? Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The only sin is limitation. As soon as you once come up with a man’s limitations, it is all over with him. He lacks talents? has he enterprise? has he knowledge? It boots not. Infinitely alluring and attractive was he to you yesterday, a great hope, a sea to swim in; now, you have found his shores, found it a pond, and you care not if you never see it again.”
This passage rings true to me in every way. People must have a continual effort to “raise himself above himself, to work a pitch above his last height”. If not, there will be stagnation and the person cease to grow, and therefore our interest in such a person ceases as his mind becomes more and more dead by the day. Also, don’t you all think it more interesting knowing a new person who interests you? There is so much mystery, so much secrets, so much thrills and fun. But when you get to know the person up close and personal, and you found his/her shore, your amazement ceases. Your interest ceases. And you begin to look elsewhere. The fireworks are no longer there.
Next I have drawn this and wonder if I can share it here:
hmmm….. need explanation?
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