300: Rise of an Empire is a 2014 American fantasy war film directed by Noam Murro. It is a follow-up to the 2007 film, “300, taking place before, during, and after the events of that film with a fictionalised retelling of the Battle of Salamis. Zack Snyder, who directed and co-wrote the original film, acts as writer and producer on Rise of an Empire.
Our Review of 300: Rise of an Empire
300: Rise of an Empire was released in Singapore theatres on 6 March 2014 [10 days ago] and we caught the movie just two days ago. With a running time of 103 minutes and a rating of M18 for violence and sexual scenes, 300: Rise of an Empire is definitely not a movie for the young.
A majority of the battle scenes in the movie are quite bloody and gory; so much so that by the time the movie ends, the audience would have been numbed by it. Although the casts portrayed their roles really well, the storyline of the movie is just average.
In our opinion, what would probably be the most popular and the most talked about scene in the movie would be the one where Themistokles and Artemesia had an intense lovemaking session.
If you haven’t caught 300: Rise of an Empire yet, we will definitely recommend it but just don’t expect too much unless you’re just watching the movie to see hot dudes with washboard abs and Eva Green’s well-endowed assets.
300: Rise of an Empire Movie Synopsis
Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel, “Xerxes” and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster, “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield – on the sea – as Greek general Themistokles [Sullivan Stapleton] attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. “300: Rise of an Empire” pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes [Rodrigo Santoro], and Artemesia [Eva Green], vengeful commander of the Persian navy.
From today till 30 March 2014, be enthralled when you visit i Light Marina Bay 2014, Asia’s only sustainable light art festival that showcases innovative content, the intelligent use of lighting, and as well as an international line-up of creative talents.
The festival this year will feature more than 25 innovative and environmentally sustainable light art installations from around the world that will transform the Marina Bay into a magical space of light and colour for an unparalleled experience.
A photo of Happy Croco, a light art installation by Bibi from France.
The curatorial team for i Light Marina Bay 2014 has introduced the theme of Light+HeART to convey the message that in the heart of sustainability matters is the matter of the heart. Hence, one of the aims of i Light Marina Bay 2014 is to inspire a collective change in the attitude and a widening of perspectives towards issues relating to sustainability amongst individuals like you and I.
If you are planning a family and friends gathering this weekend and you are heading down to the Marina Bay to check out the i Light Marina Bay 2014, here are 5 exhibits that you should not miss!
Name Of Exhibit:
iSwarm
Created By:
Professor Thomas Schroepfer and Professor Suranga Nanayakkara, together with their team from the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
Location Of Exhibit:
In Marina Bay, near Bayfront Water Taxi Stop.
About The Exhibit:
iSwarm is a swarm of luminous “sea creatures” that interact with passers-by. Subtle and hardly visible by day, iSwarm comes alive at night. As daylight fades, the cells of iSwarm illuminate the waters of Marina Bay with fluorescent light reminiscent of natural phenomena such as bioluminescent algae or the Aurora Borealis. iSwarm reacts to groups of visitors by detecting human presence and greeting them with subtle modulation of its light patterns.
Name Of Exhibit:
Mimosa
Created By:
Jason Burges Studio
Location Of Exhibit:
Marina Bay City Gallery
About The Exhibit:
Mimosa is an interactive artwork, displaying behaviour that mimics responsive plant systems. The piece was inspired by the Mimosa family of plants, which change kinetically to suit their environmental conditions. The studio used the slim form of individual organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] to represent the delicate light petals of flowers, which appear to dance with its petals opening and closing in response to visitors’ hand movements. This installation presents a perfect combination of art and technology, where the most innovative lighting technology, OLED, is integrated into a dynamic installation that reacts to people’s hand motions, forming a magical experience.
Name Of Exhibit:
#WeHeartLight
Created By:
Light Collective from United Kingdom
Location Of Exhibit:
Marina Bay City Gallery
About The Exhibit:
Making light is open to everybody and Light Collective demonstrates this by teaching about 200 locals to each make a simple light box, personalised with images and text, with red as the predominant colour for half of these boxes. When assembled together, the light boxes make up the installation, #WeHeartLight. Light Collective worked closely with students from different schools in Singapore to build the first installation for I Light Marina Bay that is made and inspired entirely by the people who live in Singapore. This installation is created through a series of workshops where students play an important role in the making and design of the artwork. The process of constructing this installation helps to emphasise the role of education in guiding our future generation towards a more sustainable future.
Name Of Exhibit:
CLOUD
Created By:
Caitlind R.C. Brown & Wayne Garrett from Canada
Location Of Exhibit:
The Float @ Marina Bay
About The Exhibit:
CLOUD illuminates the curatorial themes of i Light Marina Bay 2014 on a number of levels. As the sculpture is created from both new and recycled materials, combining the aesthetic of incandescent light bulbs with the brilliance of energy-efficient bulbs, CLOUD creates a playful commentary about the changing face of sustainability. While the piece is bright and attractive to audiences, the internal contrast of old and new light technologies provides a critical dialogue about energy, sources of light, and sustainable progress. By pulling on a switch, the viewer is able to trigger a quantifiable shift within the greater aesthetic of CLOUD, visually highlighting the power of an individual’s ability to impact progress and achieve significant change. However, the real magic happens when multiple viewers work as a community towards a unified shift.
Name Of Exhibit:
The Pool
Created By:
Jen Lewin Studio from United States of America
Location Of Exhibit:
Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade, Near The Promontory @ Marina Bay
About The Exhibit:
The Pool is a group of giant, concentric circles created from interactive circular pads. By entering The Pool, visitors enter a world where play and collaborative movement create swirling effects of light and colour. Imagine a giant canvas where you can paint and splash light collaboratively. This installation is best enjoyed and is most beautiful when a group of people play with the different pads together.
Apart from viewing the exhibits, you can also enjoy a full array of complementary events, public performances, and fun activities that have been lined up over the four weekends.
To discover more about the dazzling art installation around the Marina Bay, you can sign up for the Free Guided Tours that will take place every Friday to Sunday at 7:30pm, 8:30pm, and 9:30pm. There are two routes to choose from and each covers a different set of artworks. Registration closes a day before on i Light Marina Bay 2014 Festival Website or 30 minutes before the commencement of a tour.
And if walking isn’t your cup of tea, you can participate in the Boat Tour that will take place every Friday to Sunday from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. The cost is SGD$12 per person per tour and the boat departs every 30 minutes.
In Summary
What:
i Light Marina Bay 2014
When:
7th to 30th March 2014, 1930 to 2300 hours
Where:
Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade
How:
Narest MRT Stations are Downtown, Raffles Place, City Hall, Esplanade, Promenade, Marina Bay, and Bayfront
Tip:
Dress as comfortably as you can and bring your own snacks and water. One round around the Marina Bay is about 3.5KM and it will probably take you about 1.5 hour to complete viewing the entire exhibits at i Light Marina Bay 2014.
Admission is FREE!
If you need more information about i Light Marina Bay 2014 and the various complementary workshops and activities that you can take part in, do visit i Light Marina Bay 2014 Official Website.
Let the i Light Marina Bay 2014 inspire you and light up your life so that you too can take action and make a difference in your own ways to create a sustainable environment for the future.
Non-Stop is a 2014 French-American mystery-thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong’o, and Scoot McNairy.
Our Review of Non-Stop
When we first caught the movie trailer of Non-Stop at the start of the year, our immediate reaction was, “This is going to be one exciting movie that we must watch!” and so we did last weekend at the Golden Village Max Theatre @ VivoCity.
With a duration of 106 minutes, we were kept in suspense throughout the movie, not knowing what to expect as the plot was certainly unpredictable and it caught us by surprise as well. Though some parts of the movie did not make any logical sense, it certainly was entertaining. If you are planning to catch a movie this weekend and 300: Rise Of An Empire is running full house, Non-Stop is one movie you should not miss.
Non-Stop Movie Trailer
Non-Stop Movie Synopsis
Global action star Liam Neeson stars in Non-Stop, a suspense thriller played out at 40,000 feet in the air. During a transatlantic flight from New York City to London, U.S. Air Marshal Bill Marks [Neeson] receives a series of cryptic text messages demanding that he instruct the government to transfer $150 million into an off-shore account. Until he secures the money, a passenger on his flight will be killed every 20 minutes.
The LEGO Movie is a 2014 American computer-animated family comedy film directed and co-written by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, and it stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman. The film is based on the LEGO line of construction toys and it was released on 6 February 2014 in Singapore. [Image Credits to The LEGO Movie Facebook Page]
Our Review Of The LEGO Movie:
We are not sure if it is the worldwide phenomenon of the LEGO craze but The LEGO Movie was extremely well-received. Although we caught The LEGO Movie a little later than most people, we really enjoyed watching the movie and we will highly recommend it to young children and parents alike.
The movie duration is of the right pace at 100 minutes and it is filled with a couple of funny moments which even till now, we are smiling and laughing it out just thinking about it.
The story plot is a common one but it takes a twist towards the end and that really caught us by surprise. Well, whether you are a fan of LEGO Toys or not, we are pretty sure The LEGO Movie is a wholesome and meaningful movie that both children and adults should not miss!
The movie is very relatable to everyone because like it or not, a majority of us have grown up with LEGO Bricks and even till today, it is no surprise that even adults like us are fascinated with LEGO Toys and continue to purchase them and challenge ourselves to build magnificent structures, cars, planes, and anything else that we can possibly create with LEGO Bricks.
We are definitely excited about the movie sequel to The LEGO Movie that is scheduled to be released on 26 May 2017 [yes, that’s 3 years later and it’s way too long] but if you are now a fan of The LEGO Movie and you want to be kept updated about any upcoming new information, be sure to like The LEGO Movie Singapore Facebook Page!
Movie Synopsis Of The LEGO Movie:
This original 3D computer-animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously under-prepared.
Saint Patrick’s School Military Band [SPSMB] is amongst the first local school band to reach the monumental 60 years mark since pioneering musicianship in Singapore. To celebrate more than 60 years since its formation as a Bugle and Fife band in 1953, SPSMB staged a sold-out commemorative concert on 17 February 2014 at the Esplanade and it was a rocking good time for everyone whom were present. The concert, “60th Anniversary Concert: A Musical Homecoming”, paid tribute to six decades of musicianship and band culture that has since made SPSMB one of the most recognised secondary school bands in Singapore.
The 60th Anniversary Concert featured performances by several different bands, including the St. Patrick’s School Alumni Band [SPSAB]; the current SPSMB consisting of band members who are incumbent students of the school; the Lasallian Primary School band, and as well as a Combined Band performance which enthralled audience members to no end.
When we were there at the 60th Anniversary Concert, we were very impressed with the performances that were put up and seriously, we could feel the strong spirit of camaraderie that the band members have for one another. We really had an amazing time at the concert and even as we are writing this entry, we are still getting the goosebumps just by thinking about the splendid performances that were put up.
The SPSMB has indeed come a long way to achieve what it is today. First formed as a three-piece, bugle, fife and drum band on 2nd March 1953, SPMSB was one of the pioneer secondary school bands in Singapore and over the years, the SPSMB has established itself as one of the most outstanding secondary school bands in Singapore, claiming honours such as the first school band in Asia to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York in 1982, to their continued success at the Singapore Youth Festival [SYF] Central Judging, achieving an unrivalled eleven consecutive Gold Awards since 1990.
A Photo Of The Saint Patrick’s School Military In Its Early Days
The band was also the first secondary school band to achieve four consecutive SYF Gold with Honours awards in 2011. In the recent 2013 SYF Arts Presentation, the band continued its excellent performance by taking home the prestigious Certificate of Distinction.
The Saint Patrick’s School Military Band In The 2013 SYF Competition That Took Place At The Singapore Conference Hall
The band members have had many opportunities to showcase their musical talents through public performances and they also had the opportunity to have band exchanges and performances with talented overseas musicians to broaden their musical insights.
The Saint Patrick’s School Military Band Performing At The Universal Studios Singapore For A National Day Performance in 2013
Beyond the glittery of these achievements and awards, band members of the next generation will continue to strive and persevere so as to carry on the band’s tradition and sustain its achievements. With the band members continuously nurtured with the knowledge of music and inculcated with the discipline, we are very sure SPSMB will scale to even greater heights!
We really believe that SPSMB will continue to thrill audiences with their professionalism and dedication. If you ever have the opportunity to watch them live in concert, don’t let the opportunity slip by. You will definitely be in for a treat.
Today is the debut of “Intelligence”, an American cyber-themed action-adventure television series that will air on Singapore Television Channel 318 [RTL-CBS] on mio TV.
“Intelligence” first premiered in the United States on 7 January 2014 and the television series is created by Michael Seitzman, who serves as an executive producer along with Tripp Vinson and Barry Schindel for ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.
Josh Holloway, an American actor and model, best-known as James “Sawyer” Ford on the American television show, “Lost”, stars as US elite government cyber-security agent Gabriel Vaughn in this dramatic thriller. Gabriel has the capabilities to hack into any data centre in the world and gain access to key intel. The agency is led by a straightforward and efficient boss overseeing the unit’s missions, Director Lillian Strand, played by Marg Helgenberger, whom was best known for her role as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”.
Synopsis of “Intelligence”
A dramatic thriller starring Josh Holloway as Gabriel, a high-tech intelligence operative enhanced with a super-computer microchip in his brain. With this implant, Gabriel is the first human ever to be connected directly into the worldwide information grid and have complete access to Internet, WiFi, telephone, and satellite data. Gabriel can hack into any data center and access key intel in the fight to protect the United States from its enemies.
Leading the elite government cyber-security agency created to support him is Director Lillian Strand, a straightforward and efficient boss who oversees the unit’s missions. Strand assigns Riley Neal, a Secret Service agent, to protect Gabriel from outside threats, as well as from his own appetite for reckless, unpredictable behaviour, and his disregard for protocol. Other skilled members of the Cybercom team include Chris Jameson and Gonzalo “Gonzo” Rodriguez, two very resourceful federal investigators. The brains behind the design of the chip is Dr. Shenendoah Cassidy, whose son, Nelson, is jealous of Gabriel’s prominent place in his father’s life. As the first supercomputer with a beating heart, Gabriel is the most valuable piece of technology the country has ever created and is a U.S. secret weapon.
“Intelligence” will debut on Singapore television on mio TV, Channel 318 [RTL-CBS] on Tuesday, 11 February 2014, at 9.55pm.
Our Review of “Intelligence”
While the concept is not brand new, it is quite interesting and it would definitely interest viewers of all ages. However, whether this tv series can pull off and keep its ratings is altogether a different matter and it will depend on how well-scripted the show is and whether it can keep up to the audience’s expectations of having a tight-knitted story.
We are pretty hopeful that “Intelligence” has the potential to sustain as we really enjoyed watching the first episode that was filled with action, anticipation, and suspense!
Yesterday, Jacqueline and I caught the movie, “Huat Ah! Huat Ah!” and we really enjoyed watching the movie. We feel that Huat Ah! Huat Ah! is a suitable movie for the young and old and it complements the new year festivities really well! If you are planning a family movie-outing this week, you might want to consider Huat Ah! Huat Ah!.
Huat Ah! Huat Ah! Movie Synopsis:
This is an inspirational comedy suitable for the whole family. The story revolves around an autistic village lad, Ah Huat who is inept in expressing himself but blessed with an intrinsic gift in heart as well as in his hands. Ah Huat lives by the motto of staying true to himself and goes through a rite of passage in order to achieve success and find his happiness. He is a typical down-to-earth Malaysian Chinese in search of an honest living through hard work and kind nature.
Our Review of Huat Ah! Huat Ah!
Huat Ah! Huat Ah! is directed by Tan Boon Huat and it stars Ah Niu and Joyce Cheng. The duration of the movie is 91 minutes long and we feel that it is of the right pace; not too long and not too short.
The storyline is excellent and the plot develops rather smoothly. Also, the actors portrayed their roles really well and we could feel the emotions and expressions that tugged our hearts. Set in a nostalgic kampong setting, the young and old can definitely relate to the movie and it also inculcates good moral values too!
To be honest, we were quite apprehensive about catching Huat Ah! Huat Ah! but having watched the movie, we will definitely recommend it to family members and friends because it is really worth-catching.
If we were to compare Huat Ah! Huat Ah! with The Lion Men, we say, go for Huat Ah! Huat Ah! May everyone of you huat/prosper this Lunar New Year!
Thank to the pair of complimentary tickets that we gotten from SAFRA MovieMax Club, both Jacqueline and I had the opportunity to catch the movie, “The Lion Men [Part 1]” on Wednesday at Shaw Theatres Lido. [Image Credits to J Team Productions]
Disclaimer:
We are going to be brutally honest with our review of this film so if you’re a fan of the various casts whom acted in the film, don’t blame us; we’re just trying to help save some money for movie-goers.
The Lion Men Movie Synopsis:
The film’s plot centers on rival lion dance troupes in Singapore — a liberal-looking faction of a traditional troupe, Tiger Crane [led by Wang Wei Liang], breaks away from it to form a new one called Storm Riders [led by Tosh Zhang], which advocates a new style of lion dance with more modern influences of hip hop dance and more flashy acrobatics. Meanwhile, the male stars of the show clash with a third rival troupe called Black Hawk, competing in wushu, love triangles and of course, lion dance. Five of the well-loved “Ah Boys To Men” casts headline the film, joined by 23 “unknowns”.
Director Jack Neo and a few of the casts whom acted in the film were present during the screening and they gave us a brief introduction of the film. During the meet-and-greet session, Director Jack Neo said that The Lion Men is one of the toughest movies that he has ever directed and that the film, given its “action” genre, wasn’t so easy to shoot.
Well, having caught The Lion Men [Part 1] in its entirety, we’re not so sure if we are even going to catch The Lion Men [Part 2]. This is because we don’t understand why the movie must have a two-part sequel when seriously, they could have just dived straight into the subject matter and cut out all those unrelated and not so relevant scenes!
Furthermore, The Lion Men [Part 1] has too much advertisement placements that we felt like we wasted 130 minutes of our lives watching commercials after commercials. We’re serious, the ad placements are very obvious and brands such as Resorts World Sentosa, NETS Flashpay, and StarHub are so prominently featured that there wasn’t any attempt to make it subtle.
Adding on, the humour in the movie were just weak. Director Jack Neo seems to be trying really hard to inject some humour into the movie but to be honest, it just doesn’t work out. As mentioned, some scenes were totally not relevant and it just does not fit into the plot.
So, for this festive season, if you’re planning to catch a movie, we don’t recommend The Lion Men unless you have too much angpow money to spend. In fact, we think Robocop makes a better movie than The Lion Men.
The new multi-million dollar musical GREASE will blaze into Singapore this coming April from London’s West End after a sensational sell-out tour in Australia and it will open at the MasterCard® Theatres at Marina Bay Sands on 25 April 2014.
This rocking musical production is packed with explosive energy and it will feature a spectacular international cast, super-slick dance moves, dazzling costumes, and all those unforgettable songs from the hit movie, including Summer Nights, Sandy, Hopelessly Devoted To You, You’re The One That I Want, Greased Lightnin’ and Grease Is The Word.
Let’s go back in time and revisit some of these really unforgettable songs from the hit movie!
Summer Nights
You’re The One That I Want
Greased Lightning
We’re pretty certain that after listening to all those hits, you’re probably all greased up and ready to have a rocking good time!
Do you know?
The first London production of GREASE opened 6 months later after the show’s Broadway premiere in 1972 and the stage production was then followed by the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, which went on to become the highest grossing movie-musical of all time. GREASE has since triumphed across the globe, with its irresistible mix of adolescent angst, vibrant physicality and 1950s pop culture.
Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, GREASE is possibly the only hit Broadway musical ever composed entirely on guitar. The productions name comes from the term greasers, a 1950s United States working-class youth subculture. GREASE takes place in and around fictitious Rydell High, and follows ten working-class teenagers in 1959 as they experience the intricacies of love, friendship and rebellion. The story revolves around the relationship between “bad boy” Danny Zuko, who believes he is the coolest of cool and Sandy, the “girl next door”.
So dust off your leather jacket, pull on your bobby-socks, and take a trip to a simpler time as the MasterCard® Theatre is turned into Rydell High School! It will be a stage show that is truly not only ELECTRIFYING but MEMORABLE as well!
As a matter of fact, it will be a very good treat for all your older folks as they rekindle the old days!
DATE:
From 25 April 2014
PERFORMANCE TIMES:
Tuesday to Friday 8pm; Saturday 2pm & 8pm; and Sunday 1pm & 5.30pm
VENUE:
MASTERCARD THEATRE, MARINA BAY SANDS
TICKET PRICE:
From $60* onwards
*Excludes the booking fee of SGD$3 per ticket
Germany’s most popular breakdance crew and four-time breakdancing world champions, The Flying Steps, will be bringing their first own production, Red Bull Flying Bach, to Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre for the first time this month! [Image Credits to Red Bull Content Pool]
The internationally acclaimed show will leave you enraptured as the creative performance visualizes and revives Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Well-Tempered Clavier’ note by note, step by step with piano, harpsichord and electronic beats! Expect drama, intense passion, comedy and even love in this award-winning production!
The 70-minute show will trail the journey of six dancers and their teacher while the crew prepares for their big finals as tensions rise, like the ups and downs of the notes.
Contemporary dance meets breakdance when a woman enters the room, changing the dynamics and developments of the dancers, where desire meets refusal, arrogance meets curiosity and the clash of the two worlds are inevitable.
[Image Credits to Red Bull Content Pool]
Red Bull Flying Bach won the prestigious ECHO Klassik Sonderpreis, Germany’s major classical music awards, in 2010 and this January, the Red Bull Flying Bach will be staged at the Esplanade Singapore from 16 to 18 January 2014.
[Image Credits to Red Bull Content Pool]
If you are a fan of breakdancing or if you’re a breakdancer yourself, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch the Red Bull Flying Bach because they will only be here in Singapore for 2 days.
Tickets retail from $58 onwards and are currently available on sale at SISTIC Online.
