My Movie Top Ten East & West (for now!)

I was having a chat with a friend about good movies the other night. And realised I have favourites from across the world. Here are ten I would recommend for starters, with trailers, in no particular order:

1. Mongol (Mongolia / Russia / Kazakhstan / Germany)

2007 film about the life of Genghis Khan. A kind of combo between an interesting National Geographic documentary about Mongolian life, with amazing Lord of the Rings battle scenes. And a brilliant soundtrack with Mongolian throat-singing! (Sorry about the Americanisation of this trailer; the movie isn't. Try to find film in original Mongolian with subs)

2. 12 Angry Men (USA)
A black/white film from the 50's by Sidney Lumet, this first had me sceptical. It's about a jury process, and once you're in, it's a completely gripping tale, with twists and turns as the argument progresses between the 12. 

3.Survive Style 5+ (Japan)
Bonkers, but highly enjoyable (and oddly, sometimes rather moving) film, featuring a series of crazy vignettes. I think the director was a pop music video director, and this fun aspect comes across, as well as some really impressive and colourful sets.

4. Shutter (Thailand)
The 2004 Thai original of this horror. Really clever story, and executed cleverly for maximum 'eek!' factor, despite a relatively modest budget. 

5. Tonari no Totoro [My Neighbour Totoro] (Japan)
There are a LOT of Miyazaki animations which I love. But if I had to pick one favourite it's probably this. This is a sweet, magical story and a sensitively animated film; with a lovely peace and pace about it which you don't often find in Western family animation. Ditch the dub and go for subtitles on this.

6. The Mummy (USA)
Love this movie! It's so underrated! The other Mummy movies were pants, but this first one is just incredibly good fun - with an intelligent cast, who were clearly having fun making it too. Lots of little humorous moments in there; I've watched this film to wind down and cheer me up many times! 

 

7. Festen (Denmark)
1998 story of a patrician family reunion, where some home-truths are outed. Fascinating and intelligent insight into human / family behaviour and class. 

8. Detroit Metal City (Japan)
Completely ludicrous, hilarious and OTT movie adapted from a Manga. Starring the brilliant MatsuKen as the uber-nerd-heavy-metal-rockstar. If you can find this do try to watch it! 

9. Ong Bak (Thailand)
Tony Jaa and this movie must have been personally responsible for thousands of youngsters taking up martial arts worldwide - not to mention making Thailand incredibly cool overnight! It's a fight movie, the first and best Ong Bak, with some breathtaking action sequences. 

 

10. Gladiator (USA)
Another fight movie (of sorts) but set in ancient Rome. Was blown away by this when I first saw it, and still am. Just a really well made story of politics, with a solid cast, great visuals, action and some really good lessons in leadership!  

Happy viewing!

L'eau de Durian

After a few months' absence, Durians are back in season - woohoo!

The worry is that apparently those who eat them exude the stench of the fruit through their skin / sweat for days afterwards. Durian smells like rotting drains. And this is a hot country, and I do sports. Oh dear. 

However, talking to some locals recently I discovered that the South East Asian love for this fruit (including its pungent smell) is extremely strong. And by logic, smelling of Durian might actually make one a popular and desirable hottie! ^^ This is up there with the famous UK adage, that the way to make British men really attracted to you is to smell of their favourite thing: lager.

Having said this, I have yet to notice any 'L'air du Lager' or CK Durian on the market. 

Singapore River Safari

Part of the various Singapore zoo experiences (alongside the Zoo, Night Safari & Jurong Bird Park ), this isn't actually a Safari on a River, although there are two very short boat rides you can take for extra cost. Instead, it's an on-foot zoo, but with animals selected in line with the various great rivers of the world (Amazon, Ganges, Nile, Yangtze etc).

It was a pretty enjoyable day, though at SG$28 (£14) for one adult, not cheap by Singapore standards (though actually a bit of a bargain if you're from UK!) I covered the entire experience, with both rides, rests, and a sprained ankle in 3 hours. So as you can probably tell, it's not that huge or comprehensive! But, the highlights for me were the Red and Great Pandas, the Squirrel Monkeys, and the wonderful Otters. I was also looking forward to the Manatees, which are in an impressive large aquarium at the end, but they were feeding when I arrived, and not very social! But there are decent, and nicely kept, displays of bizarre river fish and other creatures to look at. 

Piranha

The two boat rides are: the Amazon River Quest - which is quite Jurassic Park! Basically it's a Disney-style, automated ride, with animals to see as part of the entertainment. Actually it is quite good fun and lasts only about 10 minutes. But the huge problem is that the automated 'boat' goes past the animal spaces at super-speed, so by the time you've located the Jaguar or Capybara in the undergrowth, the boat has already been moved on. No photos or animal viewing on this, unless you're extremely fast! But to be honest, for only $5, and since I've never been on another boat-ride which 'crashes down hills' before, it was quite enjoyable!

The other ride is the regular River Safari Cruise, which is on a much larger, proper boat. And it is again a very short 15 minute trip, but this time on one of Singapore's reservoirs. The reservoir is big, but the boat ride just takes you on a tiny fraction of the shore, where you can see Giraffes, Elephants and other creatures in semi-open enclosures, if you are lucky. It is a really nice idea to view animals this way, actually.

Logistics: There are several ways to get there, I took the 138 circuit bus from Ang Mo Kio MRT station - which takes 30 mins to the River Safari. You can save 10-15% if you pre-book your venue ticket online - but it won't give you a discount on the boat rides, which remain SG$5 each even if you book them at the same time. Also you need a smartphone, printer or a good camera to photograph your e-ticket, as they need the bar code to get you in. Also disable your pop-up blocker before you start booking the tickets (they don't tell you this until you're already 80% through the process!)

The young staff (as with the Bird Park) were very sweet and helpful. And a large part of this experience has covered walkway, so I imagine it's OK in rain. There are less places to sit en-route than at the Bird Park, but plenty of toilet stops and a few cafes / stands to buy food or ice creams. Would still advise carrying your own water and snacks, however.

Anyway, here are some animal pix from today, maybe they'll encourage you to visit! (You can click on them for a larger slide-show) :)

 For more River Safari details go to: http://www.riversafari.com.sg/

Japanese micro-soup

This Christmas I received some tiny soup packets from Japan as part of a gift. We have instant soups worldwide, of course. But these ones take the form of 'rusks'. And they're much tastier than the average chemical concoction you get in packet soups. More like freeze-dried real soups, actually. Perhaps that's what they are? (My Japanese reading isn't yet good enough to work it out!) Worth a try, though.

A Few Strange British English Pronunciations

I have said this before, but since I started making friends from language exchange, I realise how difficult British English is to learn! As a native speaker, I knew that a few things were strange, but this doesn't begin to compare with the confusion that anomalies cause for learners trying to make logical sense of a second language. English is riddled with seemingly random daily pronunciations (finger v ginger, plough v tough, hanger v ranger..) but British English in particular has some real clangers (I've listed some below).

The explanation to all this weirdness is largely our history, which has been encrusted with invasions and visitations from Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Normans and others, all of whom brought their own bits to the language, including pronunciations. And then we have our own Celtic and other language influences from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. A lot of the most startling British English peculiarities arise from those culprits the Normans, whose French language contributions have become corrupted with time.

Lieutenant = leftenant. 'Lieu' is French, and in old French, it could also be pronounced 'liev' or 'luef'. This word is pronounced as the more logical 'lootenant' in American English. 

Featherstonehaugh = fanshaw. It's an English surname. I have no idea why it is pronounced this way!

Magdalen or Magdalene = maudlin, when it refers to the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. It might be a nickname, or because English pronunciation often dropped the 'g' during the Middle Ages, when the colleges were founded (French language influence again). Old institutions in the UK are famous for holding on to ancient and traditional things as part of their brand and culture. This includes names.

Caius = keys. Yep, another college at Cambridge University. The full name is Gonville and Caius College. And the weird pronunciation follows the surname of one of its founders. 

Worcester, Leicester, Bicester = wooster, lester, bister respectively. These are names of British towns. -chester, -caster and -cester are all old names for a settlement - it seems originally from the Roman Latin (castra = encampment) but then adopted and changed a bit by the later Saxons. Apparently, much later during the 1700s, the middle syllable just got lost due to fashion or lazy usage! 

Beauchamp = beecham. It's normally connected to place names (eg Beauchamp Place in London) Beauchamp is a French word again, pronounced roughly 'bowsharm' (apologies, French readers!) Beecham is a corruption of this. Incidentally, many of these peculiarly pronounced French place and personal names are associated with the upper classes and aristocracy (who presumably also like to hold on to ancient things as part of their brand!)

St John = sinjun, when it is a given name. (I used to have a friend called St John and the joke greeting was always 'Is the cat on fire, or is that you, Singe-in?') I couldn't find a definitive reason for the strange sound, but it seems a corrupted old French pronunciation is likely. The regular 'Saint John' is still the more normal way to pronounce this in other instances, though. e.g St John's Ambulance.

Berwick = berrick. It's a place name, and 'berrick' is the most common pronunciation, particularly for Northern and Scottish places. It comes from the Scottish Gaelic Bearaig. There are a few Berwicks around the UK, and it seems there can be some regional variations for the ones in the South. But 'berrick' is pretty safe. 'Berrick' Street Market, is a famous landmark down South in London !

Mainwearing is another English surname deriving from Anglo-Norman (French) :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, people!

I think Manila was the place to have been this year! I wasn't, but here's a video of their amazing city-wide firework display :)

 

British Christmas Nosh

Well, it's Christmas Day, and I'm in the tropics, listening to BBC World Service, instead of being in the UK preparing the traditionally biggest meal of the year. (For Christians, or lapsed-Christians, at least!) I am of course not complaining about being under swishing palm trees in SE Asia, but as a bit of nostalgia, and for non-Brits who might have wondered: here are the traditional - and things that have become suspiciously traditional - items UK people eat on Christmas Day!

The Roast Bird (traditional)
This is the big one. The roast would be for either lunch or dinner on Christmas Day - or in my family, because it was such a huge deal, at about 3pm as the sole meal for the day! The eating, drinking and conversation for this feast might actually last for a few hours anyway. Depending on your family size / preference / budget the bird might be turkey, or chicken, or (more rare) goose. Even more rare are pheasant or duck, which are old-fashioned traditional options.

The bird is usually served with stuffing (mixed ingredients that get roasted inside the bird - often apricot and chestnut, or sausage meat and herbs but there are many recipes); roast potatoes; cooked winter vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and carrots; cranberry sauce (for turkey); and gravy. You also might have additions like roasted parsnips, bacon / sausage, and other things depending on your family preference.

This meal is very much an at-home event for families or shared with friends if you are away from your family. We often accompany it with Christmas Crackers (festive items which 'pop' when you pull them, and usually have inside a toy, a joke or proverb and a paper crown). You will thus see many UK Christmas tables surrounded by people wearing ridiculous paper hats. Adults might drink alcohol along with a Christmas roast. 

Christmas Pudding (traditional)
A hot, very rich-tasting dessert made with raisins, candied fruits and other things, which is traditionally steamed over hours before eating (now it can be microwaved - phew!) Often a liqueur such as brandy is poured over the pudding, and then set on fire as it is brought to the table (pretty blue flame!) Christmas pudding is too rich to eat alone, and is normally served with brandy sauce, brandy butter, custard, double cream or sometimes these days, vanilla ice cream. It is usually eaten as dessert to the Christmas roast. 

In old tradition, a coin would be included in the pudding mixture as well. The person who then got the coin in their dessert portion was believed to have good luck for the coming year. I am not sure how popular this custom still is, however. I think it was removed from ready-made puddings perhaps due to health-and-safety concerns for people mistakenly swallowing coins!


Christmas Cake (traditional)
And if you weren't already feeling stuffed enough, there is always Christmas cake for later on. This again is a very rich-tasting fruitcake recipe. Basically, as with the Christmas Pudding, it contains raisins, sultanas, candied peels - ingredients which traditionally would be available during winter months. Christmas cake is usually wrapped in marzipan, and then frosted with white sugar icing. In my opinion, you only need the tiniest slice of this cake as it is a pretty intense experience! 

A Gammon Ham (traditional)
A large cooked ham, often glazed with honey, or brown sugar and cloves. You don't eat it with the Christmas roast, but maybe (if you can manage it) cold as a snack before or after the big Christmas meal, or at other times over the festive break.

Mince pies (traditional)
These are my favourite Christmas food! They are small pastry pies filled with mincemeat - which in this case does not mean 'meat' but a combination of raisins, sultanas, preserved fruits and spices. So they are sweet. The pastry is usually shortcrust, but you can also have puff-pastry varieties. Mince pies are best served hot as a snack or with tea, and are nice with a bit of cream, custard or brandy sauce.

Satsumas/tangerines and clementines (traditional)
I think these were originally introduced to the West as luxury items from Asia in the 18th or 19th century. Little oranges are sometimes also called 'Christmas oranges' due to their popularity as festive treats. And they are possibly the only low-calorie snack that is tradition over the season! 

Chocolate Brazils & Quality Street (new-traditional)
Chocolates in general are ubiquitous at the modern British Christmas. But chocolate-coated nuts (in particular Brazil nuts) have become part of our tradition! I have a feeling this trend might have started in the 1970s, I suspect as a result of clever marketing by Cadbury or other chocolate-brazil vendors! 

Quality Street is a brand of mixed chocolates, wrapped in pretty foils, which often get given and eaten at Christmas in the UK. The wrappers can be kept and lead to creative sessions for children over the holiday too! (Incidentally, looking this up on Wikipedia, I was shocked to note that the purple one and the red cracknel one have now been discontinued - UK children of the 80s will know what I am talking about here!) 

Christmas Cookies (new-traditional)
These are not British custom as far as I know (British people don't say 'cookies' we say 'biscuits' anyway!) They are traditional across a lot of continental Europe and also North America, using either gingerbread or biscuit recipes. But they're now gaining popularity in the UK. Not least as they are pretty and quite fun for a family to bake and decorate. 

Panettone (new-traditional)
This is a traditional Christmas item from Italy. But it has become popular in some parts of the UK as a (much lighter!) alternative to Christmas cake. It is a light, fluffy bread/sponge containing sultanas and candied peels. You will see Panettone on sale over the break in many shops and cafés in the UK. 

Merry Christmas, everyone!