my top 10 films of 2018

1. 影

Zhang Yimou has a habit of making trash he doesn't care about, then world-beaters like this. think he's all about colours? he makes a monochrome film. think kungfu is long action choreography? he reduces it to bare minimum. the beauty, scale and gravity of this film ensures it's not merely a year-best, but an era masterpiece.

2. Shoplifters

Hirokazu Kore-eda's reinterpretation of family is difficult enough. he then made a flawless film out of the material. even ignoring the major revelation at the end, the entire thing is one perfectly-directed scene followed by another.

3. A Star Is Born

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are overrated; several times in this film I stopped caring. but the rest of it was pure magic and says a ton about Cooper.

4. Bohemian Rhapsody

I am biased. Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody and Lucy Boynton. I am sold. it certainly is flawed, especially the sense it's going through motions, but it also possesses some beautiful set pieces.

5. BlacKkKlansman

it is inherently difficult to judge a Spike Lee product. this is funny and heavy and incoherent and clear-minded. it is everything because you never know what Lee intends. but you always know he has something to say and he says it without being overbearing.

6. Ready Player One

the start-to-finish assembly of pop-culture references more than makes up for my antipathy to CGI. what's more, put Steven Spielberg behind any project and you're bound to get entertainment.

7. A Quiet Place

conjure a unique premise and even if the plot is basic, you've made a good film. one that has barely any dialogue yet keeps you at the edge of your seat deserves all the praise it gets.

8. 比悲伤更悲伤的故事

this is not an endorsement of the tacky bits, the B-movie elements and the lazy screenplay. still, to walk into a cinema scoffing at its tearjerking reputation and then be moved is testament to several immensely sensitive set pieces.

9. First Man

breathtaking. Damien Chazelle continues to do what no other American director can, shaking up two subject matters very familiar to audiences - Neil Armstrong and space exploration. if not for the hollowness at the heart of this film, it would be ranked higher.

10. Black Panther

written so brilliantly in step with the real world, this will live long for rallying and inspiring scores of Africans and African-Americans.

Special mention:
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
released on the final days of the year, this sneaks in by virtue of how revolutionary it is. however, its merits as a traditional film are arguable, especially when the plot points are in the viewer's hands.

Most beautiful scene:
wedding at Chijmes - Crazy Rich Asians
for all the gaudiness in the film and everything money can buy, the wedding is exactly the opposite, staged and elevated by grace, class and perspective, all of which is priceless.

Best long take:
地球最后的夜晚

Most photogenic couple:
Jing Boran and Zhou Dongyu - 后来的我们

Best one-location film:
The Guilty
just one emergency call operator and one call that escalates. 

Toughest scene to watch: 
almost every scene in Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Most intriguing premise and worst payoff:
Bad Times at the El Royale

Most overshadowed lead:
Boyd Holbrook - The Predator
Sterling K Brown, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes and Jacob Tremblay all starred. Holbrook, on the other hand, looks out of his depth.

Best cameo:
everyone in Ocean's 8

Worst cameo:
Brad Pitt - Deadpool 2

Best fight:
Colossus vs Juggernaut - Deadpool 2

Worst fight:
Venom vs Riot - Venom

Best monster:
Karathen - Aquaman

Most dubious character:
Tobias Beckett - Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best sci-fi in a Chinese film:
幸福城市

Freakiest romance:
Asako I & II

Most conscious attempt to reboot:
The Predator

Worst drop-off:
Julian Dennison from Hunt for the Wilderpeople to Deadpool 2

Gran Torino 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. we're gonna miss Clint Eastwood when he's gone, not just as director, but actor. Gran Torino was so under the radar, even this trailer doesn't match what it actually is.

Shakespeare in Love 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. students of Shakespeare and literature gotta love this. cringey at times but to transplant theatre devices and Shakespearean English so wonderfully into a movie is a feat.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. an affirming example that a great film does not need to be unconventional, political or complex. a great story told well will live on in the memory.

Seven Pounds 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. unfairly panned and grossly underrated. it may be sentimental and melodramatic, but watch with your heart, not your brain. 

The Thin Red Line 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. once in a long while, a film that transcends other films turns up. one that exists on another plane altogether. one that has to be experienced, not seen.
 

first assistant secretary-general

barring any unprecedented or catastrophic twist, tomorrow we'll know.

it is the ability candidate with question marks over charisma and health versus the charisma candidate with question marks over ability.

if the tiny group of Singaporeans pick Heng Swee Keat, they'll be picking so far the superstar of the 4G team, the most experienced, yet also gambling voters would transfer their Lee Hsien Loong affection to a man with minimal persona. if they pick Chan Chun Sing, they'll be picking the man with the highest profile, the most screen time, in English and Mandarin, but is another soldier and is not viewed as the most brilliant.

Ong Ye Kung, a seemingly good mesh of ability and charisma, looks out of the race, possibly due to his lack of political experience. time will tell whether PAP's 2011 Aljunied defeat has extended repercussions.

证人 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. rarely is there a Chinese film where virtually every character is grey and miserable. intricately written. 

Crash through the surface,
Where they can't hurt us,
We're far from the shallow now.

可能你只是我的一个观众
被一个两个三个角色带走

"I always figured when I got older, God would sorta come into my life somehow. And he didn't. I don't blame him. If I was him I would have the same opinion of me that he does."

Only Man

Damien Chazelle took a road-to-stardom story told many times and turned it into a fantastical film (not to mention musical) with La La Land. he then takes a hero story familiar to many and tells it in the most down-to-earth (unintended) manner with First Man.

this 33-year-old is the only American director standing up to Nolan, Villeneuve and the Three Amigos.

When the sun goes down,
And the band won't play,
I'll always remember us this way.

Frost/Nixon 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. probably my first journalism film. in 1974, Nixon resigned without standing trial. one journalist put him on camera in an attempt to hold him accountable.

不怕神一般的对手 只怕猪一般的队友

Are you gonna change your tune or I gotta bust into his?

American History X 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. a most provocative and devastating film seared into my memory. Edward Norton showed how the malevolent side of his character can captivate us more than the benevolent side.

当一天和尚就要敲一天钟

Moonwalker 30th anniversary

30 years ago this month. part of the longer film Moonwalker. a once-in-a-lifetime genius. I'm grateful I grew up on MJ's music. and who remembers the video game!

#gonetoosoon

"I'm relentless, I'm like the Terminator. You're more like Sarah Connor, and in the first movie too, before she could do chin-ups."

Ryder Cup 2018

17.5-10.5.

it was touted as the strongest US team ever. all but 1 golfer were in the top 20; Europe only had 6. they won 6 of the 8 majors/WGC events. they had golf's player of the year Koepka.

in the end, MoliWood emerged, Garcia became Ryder Cup top scorer, Stenson was Stenson and Poulter postman again. Europe survived shaky outings from Rory and Rose, while backbencher Olesen stunned Spieth by 5.

on the other side, Captain America, DJ, Tiger, Mickelson, Koepka, DeChambeau, Bubba all underperformed. winning the Cup on Mickelson's concession after ponding was already a moment to savour, but Noren ended the tournament with this response to DeChambeau's 18th:

瓦罐难离井沿破 大将难免阵前亡

Four or five moments - that's all it takes to become a hero. Everyone thinks it's a full-time job. Wake up a hero, brush your teeth a hero, go to work a hero. Not true. Over a lifetime there are only four or five moments that really matter.

The Wrestler 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. the film that introduced me to the brilliance of Darren Aronofsky and returned to us Mickey Rourke. watch if you want your heart wrenched.

Carpool Adventures

picked up an (C***) Ah Lian. somehow she was in mid-sentence when she entered, like we had been speaking prior. the topic was the app, or another driver, or me. I do not know. I was broken instantly.

she was angry. like real Lian angry, which explains my C*** prefix. after about 300 words from her mouth in the first minute, I kinda figured out someone booked the ride for her and she's pissed. Ah Lian's remarkable debating skills, without pause, smoothly switched to the victim of her phone call, soon revealed to be the dude who booked the ride. he is not her boyfriend, I think. but he suffered nonetheless.

Ah Lian let rip her fury like she's scorned. her language wasn't as colourful as you might predict, but there were shouts. plural because they came in waves. she would shout at unusual points in her speech, like she needed a Toastmasters class. as I had turned down the radio for her phone call, here I was alone in a car with a shouting Ah Lian. the funny thing was, in between her waves of fury were ebbs of tenderness, in true Ah Lian style, as if the KBKB were a habit, not a mood.

the dude on the other hand, based on Ah Lian's rant, repeatedly provoked her, which made me conclude he's an Ah Beng.

this went on the entire trip from Serangoon to Queenstown.

while still making no sense at all, Ah Lian's topics comprised going to a halfway house, working nights, changing SIM cards, getting exiled from her family, her father marrying a Vietnamese bride, and resisting this Ah Beng going to her house (you get it).

astonishingly, when she hung up near her destination, she again smoothly switched back to me mid-sentence, in a way that I'm privy to her entire life story.

finally, we arrived. she asked how much. I replied Ah Beng already paid on his app.

SHE SAID: 错怪他了 (I wronged him).

Carpool Adventures

dressed down for office. (Ah Beng) Grab driver noticed. he tried to hint how I'm comfortable going to CBD like this. I casually replied that as long as it's acceptable for my office, it's more important to be confident in your own skin. he took that as a cue and exploded into full Ah Beng mode.

first he slammed how Singaporeans feel the need to dress like a big shot in CBD. then he guessed I must work in an angmoh company because angmohs don't value "packaging". then he revealed how he gets dirty looks in CBD. then he segued into his profession over how locals treat him like dirt and angmohs are respectful.

then our GrabShare ride picked up a lady dressed up for CBD. the rest of the journey was silence.

The Hurt Locker 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. still among my favourite films. in case you forgot, it defeated the $200m Avatar at the Oscars. it's not a war movie, it's a human drama.

将欲取之 必先予之

death is the road to awe.

i like motion pictures

i wanted to like Crazy Rich Asians.

i could not.

the plot was shoddy. the acting was wooden. the English was unintelligible (it's okay to be authentic). none of the couples had chemistry.

if anything, yet possibly the biggest indictment of the film, it would be a lot more interesting if Astrid (Gemma Chan) and Michael (Pierre Png) were the focus.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. a ride start to finish. should've spawned a cult following.

我每一块香皂再附上一个故事

Departures 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. art took on taboo and won. a powerful film about dignity and opening your mind.

Slumdog Millionaire 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. the perfect example in how to win over both audiences and critics. a simple lesson that a good story makes a good film. one of my favourites of all time.

i like motion pictures

1990's It and 2017's It are like the project your film lecturer assigned and one is produced by you and the other is produced by the dean's lister.

fire Ed Woodward

it's time to hold Ed Woodward accountable. the managers and the players execute the job, but he provides the tools. we keep saying Ferguson handed over a sub-par squad. he's had 5 years - what has he done?

2013

signed Fellaini, Mata, Varela - 2 of 3 not good enough.

released Fabio.

2014

signed Falcao, Di Maria, Shaw, Blind, Rojo, Herrera - none has remained a starter.

released Kagawa, Evra, Vidic, Keane, Zaha, Anderson.
 
2015

signed Memphis, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Darmian, Martial - 4 of 5 not good enough.

released Falcao, Di Maria, Van Persie, Chicharito, Evans, Rafael.
 
2016

signed Pogba, Bailly, Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan.

released Memphis, Schneiderlin, McNair, Schweinsteiger.
 
2017

signed Lindelof, Alexis, Matic, Lukaku.

released Mkhitaryan, Januzaj, Ibrahimovic, Varela.
 
2018

clearly need defenders and a central midfielder. signed Fred and a teenage right-back.

Chelsea, transfer-window clowns

For once United aren't the transfer-window clowns.

Chelsea let Alisson join Liverpool for £56m, didn't know Courtois wanted out, couldn't structure a straight swop for Navas, so now pay £71m for Kepa.

Furthermore, some believe Kovacic is a better player than Bakayoko. I'm not so sure.

power to the people, stick it to the man.

马善被人骑 人善被人欺

i like motion pictures

Ridley Scott's American Gangster is proof that if Hollywood wants to, it can make triad films like Hong Kong can.

Carpool Adventures

Drove 3 millennials home. They spoke about removing a friend from a WhatsApp group, a friend's fashion choices, who is fashionable in school, a friend who wears revealing clothes, the school elections, and turning legal to enter a club.

It was a trip I didn't regret.

if the headline is big enough, it makes the news big enough.

革命就是为了四万万同胞人人有恒业，不啼饥，不号寒。十年过去，与我志同者相继牺牲，我从他乡漂泊重临。革命两字于我而言，不可同日而语。今天再道何谓革命，我会说，欲求文明之幸福，不得不经文明之痛苦。

the closer you think you are, the less you'll actually see.

World Cup final stats

6 of the last 7 finals produced 2 goals or fewer. the last time there were 6 goals, the Cup was still "home", in 1966.

only once had a player scored and conceded a penalty (2006) and only once had a player scored at both ends (1978). last night had both.

Giroud, as France's most advanced player, ends the tournament with 0 shots on target.

Griezmann is only 27 and has 10 tournament goals, just 4 away from Platini's French record.

Varane now owns 4 Champions League medals and 1 World Cup medal despite just turning 25 in April.

Thauvin and Nzonzi, who played for Newcastle and Blackburn in the season they were relegated, are now World Cup winners.

Reserve goalkeeper Areola has 0 caps and 1 World Cup medal.
 
Lovren is the first world-class defender to concede 10 goals in losing 3 straight finals.

Liverpool confirm Lovren had 31 of the 30 concussion markers last night.

France & Croatia 1998/2018 combined XIs

Lloris
Thuram, Varane, Blanc, Lizarazu
Kante

Zidane, Petit

Djorkaeff

 Mbappe, Griezmann

Suker

Perisic, Boban 

Asanovic, Modric, Prosinecki

Jarni, Soldo, Bilic, Simic

Ladic

The Dark Knight 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. the film that made bat cosplay cool again. and the film that brought possibly the most memorable screen villain ever.

筋骨若是痛得厉害，皮肤流点血也就麻木不觉

real life

Elon Musk is rich.

he is a technopreneur.

much of what he does is shrouded in mystery.

he often claims to want to save the world.

he is the only rich bloke offering to save the cave soccer team. he almost instantly arrived in Chiang Rai after tweeting about it. now SpaceX "declined to speak about Musk's whereabouts".

it can only mean he is difficult to locate. it can only mean he is actually Iron Man.

"Almost all of them were named Peter or Paul. Plus, they were all married to girls named Marie. And they named all their daughters Marie."

Saving Private Ryan 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. not saying it's the best war film ever, just saying you can't say you know war films if you haven't seen this.

How many lives do we live? How many times do we die? They say we all lose 21 grams at the exact moment of our death.

ugly Spain

for a third consecutive tournament, a declining Spain kept the ball and did nothing with it. they deserve to lose.

the Class of 2008-12 passed with purpose; the current bunch executes a philosophy they don't comprehend. in a match when the world's tuning in, it was the worst advert for football.

there was so much renewed hope before the tournament. new coach, Isco, Asensio, Thiago, Koke. nope, they sacked Lopetegui, didn't know how to use Isco, Asensio and Koke, and didn't use Thiago. plus they continue to associate Silva with the Class of 2008-12, a player who only performs for Man City. as a result, bad Spain reared its head.

like Germany, reboot please.

the sole striker

it seems the sole-striker system is defining this World Cup. it requires runners and for Spain, Isco isn't, Silva isn't and Iniesta no longer is.

England and Croatia on the other hand are thriving with runners like Sterling, Lingard, Perisic and Rebic.

Germany struggled with Werner at the point while he became more dangerous freed up around Gomez.

Neymar is too far from goal to help Jesus.

Belgium has Lukaku, who can both run and hold, which means they can play two ways.

The Truman Show 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. one of the earliest films to bring that funky word "existentialism" and to question whether you're living your own life or there's a Christof somewhere.

来说是非者 便是是非人

Why is this thus and what is the reason of this thusness?

委屈

Disappointing and unprofessional.

Few leave on a high. Most overstay themselves.

I went from sacrificing other opportunities and staying, to becoming an "important, senior" member who entrenched the workflow, to being sidelined.

There's no shame in overstaying. Even sidelining is okay, if there's genuine blame. But the 委屈 I'm in lays squarely at the feet of those in positions of influence.

The Happening 10th anniversary

10 years ago this month. still underrated imo. in this era of the "elevated horror", if it arrived 10 years late, it might be a hit.

act your rank

At NS, you're expected to not think.

At work, you're expected to solve problems.

At reservist, you try to solve problems and you're reminded to not think.

"I was 'Home Alone' too, except not in movie, but in real life."

flinging the rock is not basketball

the team that best represents NBA's shift to 3-point shooting missed 27 consecutive attempts to lose a Game 7.

enough of this nonsense and get back to playing real ball.

Vertigo 60th anniversary

60 years ago this month. the film that introduced me to the greatness of Hitchcock.

I cannot begin my day with a confrontation.

He is a man who insists on hearing bad news at once.

Liverpool poised for greatness?

so Liverpool made 4th and everyone's talking like they're the biggest force in world football. I congratulate them on a great (second half) season and admire their attacking football, but one needn't look far back to find a successful team with a revolutionary style (Chelsea) totally capitulate. people forget Coutinho left and Salah will only stay if Liverpool continue reaching Champions League finals.

一盆好鸡蛋会不会有坏蛋？当然有。那一篮坏鸡蛋里会不会有好蛋？

Malaysians make a stand

it is early days (hours), but I've always believed history can be traced by distant events and change happens in geographical waves. Malaysia has politically been more mature and, to an extent, still casts a shadow over us.

change next door will hopefully accelerate change.

"There are nearly 13 million people in the world. None of those people is an extra. They're all the leads of their own stories."

前几天我的电话突然响了，原来是在提醒我那天是我的生日。后来我没事就一直滑那个手机，滑到了三千多年，结果显示我一千四百岁。

所有的记忆都是潮湿的

2001: A Space Odyssey 50th anniversary

50 years ago this month. the most divisive works are often the greatest. I admit this was a tough watch, but it's one of those rare times I knew I had witnessed something special. blown away.

"He played tight, didn't give a lot of action and always got his money in good, which means he was running the odds. In other words, he was playing poker and the others were gambling."

一个篱笆三个桩 一个好汉三个帮

Nations that went down fighting rose again, but those who surrendered tamely were finished.

"I wouldn't trust a lawyer who didn't get complaints from the prosecution or the court."

The only way to protect the right to publish is to publish.

"You a gardener or a flower? In a relationship there's a flower and a gardener. I'm a gardener who wants to be a flower."

I'm like Keith Richards. I'm just happy to be anywhere.

Singaporeans not critical thinkers?

Singaporeans not critical thinkers? judging by reactions from Uber/Grab passengers and drivers, untrue.

competition, promo codes etc, everyone is now thinking.

so why taxi monopoly we cannot, political monopoly we can?

the idea of separating dogs fighting scares me.

老朋友

wisest thing I heard today:

人能选择好朋友 也能选择坏朋友 就是不能选择老朋友

"Allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster."

难忘前世旧残梦 四猿聚首盼回魂

The Big Lebowski 20th anniversary

20 years ago this month. I don't have to expand on the legacy of this film.

Poems don't always have to rhyme, you know. They just have to be creative.

就像一个人没有了地上的影子

Oscars 2018: who should win

Picture

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2. Dunkirk
3. Phantom Thread
4. Get Out
5. Lady Bird
6. Darkest Hour
7. The Shape of Water
8. The Post
9. Call Me by Your Name

20 years down the road, it would be Dunkirk that's remembered, but right now, it's too unconventional beside 3BOEM, which is itself a sublime piece of work. just didn't enjoy TSOW as much as other people.

Directing

Christopher Nolan 

because Martin McDonagh is not nominated, GDT should win, but for me, because Martin McDonagh is not nominated, the door is open for Nolan. to conceptualise and produce something as monumental as Dunkirk is incredible. I love GDT's body of work, but they continue to have something missing for me.

Actor

Gary Oldman 

DDL, Denzel Washington and Oldman are pretty much on the same plane this year, but Oldman has to nick it for such a showy performance.

Actress

Sally Hawkins

Frances McDormand and Saoirse Ronan fully inhabited their characters, but Hawkins' Eliza jumps out at you. Meryl Streep as always is outstanding. didn't like Margot Robbie's performance.

Supporting Actor

Sam Rockwell 

simply fascinating for a villain, plus the field is not strong.

Supporting Actress

Laurie Metcalf

not a great field. Allison Janney will win, for such a forceful performance, but I wasn't particularly taken by it. Metcalf brought so much subtlety to her role. the others just didn't do enough.

Cinematography

Blade Runner 2049 

a masterpiece for the ages. so well shot you can't focus on everything else. Darkest Hour and Mudbound come a close second for me.

Original Screenplay

Get Out

that story and those clues, Jordan Peele had this wrapped up in early-2017. Lady Bird has the best writing, but is hobbled by its very strength - a rite-of-passage story. TSOW has a great premise but not exceptional writing, especially with a lead actress who doesn't speak.