Trattoria Lafiandra al Museo

Another place that does not serve water and yet there's 10% service charge. Food-wise, the bruschetta was unspectacular. Toasted baguette slices topped cubed tomatoes tossed in olive oil and some herbs/garlic. Nothing particularly outstanding. The Lagsana was hearty. A tad salty and heavy on the cream cheese. The restaurant was fully booked on Christmas Eve and walk-ins could only choose the al fresco dining, so somehow a number of people must really like this place. I can't see why, but I can understand how come. But at least the service was fast and polite.

Verdict: Won't come back again mainly cause water is not free and the quality of the food does not justify that.

Les Misérables

Disclaimer: I have watched the musical three times, and the most recent is in Oct 2012. In preparation for this movie, I had also started listening to the 25th Anniversary recording at O2. Yes, so in other words, a big fan here!

Let one get thing straight: this is a musical dramatisation of the Victor Hugo's novel and not a big screen adaption of the musical. So fans of the musical please do be ready to adapt and shift your expectations. As a movie this is a directorial and visual triumph for Tom Hooper. His style is so distinctive and the use of live recording of the singing is both a bane and boon of the movie. Live singing allows for a gorgeous uninterrupted experience and some seriously fantastic long shots and ace acting from the stars; however, the live singing marred the musical experience because some actors tend to waver and for a musical where the drama and emotion is carried more by the singing, the audience is not brought along the emotional roller coaster that Les Mis is so famed for. The opening scenes of the Two Acts alone justify this movie. Stunning! Grand! and only if they could translate it to the stage. The movie also filled up a lot of narrative gaps in the musical and was very welcomed. Similarly, the new song, "Suddenly" filled the emotional gap of Jean Valjean's character arc. A lot had been mentioned about Russell Crowe's singing in the news, but I do not think he is that bad. His interpretation of Javert was refreshing and his singing and timbre reflects the way he and the director chose to portray the inspector. Sure he could not reached the range and was flat at times when he's softer, but Crowe's acting was spot on. That is more than can be said for Hugh Jackman. His Jean Valjean, was to me, the biggest disappointment. He can sing but his voice is such a disparity from the character (as I have known), the way he chose to play him and the songs. His voice itself just could not "act" and lacked the necessary gravitas. His Jean Valjean just seemed weak and too wishy washy to be the central figure. Jackman just couldn't consistently juggle to act, move and sing at the same time; scenes where he was stationary had the best singing. But I think, he chose to focus on his acting more than his singing. His best was his first big song, sadly that was too early in the show. And his rendition of "Suddenly" sadly felt empty as was "Bring Him Home". Anne Hatheway, on the other hand, has secured her Oscar nom for Best Supporting Actress. Her single scene of "I Dreamed a Dream" was a masterclass and Hooper knew it for he framed the song in one gorgeous and emotional long take. Samantha Barks was the best singer of the lot, no surprise there. Her 2 songs have always been the emotional heart of the musical. Sadly, Eponine seemed to be portrayed here as less significant than on the stage. Eddie Redmayne was a pleasant surprise. This boy can sing and his Marius was actually interesting. The Thenardiers were disappointing. Their bit was played for crass laugh and Sasha Baron Cohen really did his character a disservice. Also, Helena Bonhem Carter had no chemistry with Cohen, hence their comedic double act felt flat. Hooper and the film are likely to get their respective nominations, though I don't see the movie winning. Furthermore, I see the rest of the cast as long shots, except for the shoo-in of Hatheway. It's very rare that the audience claps at the end, but clap they did this time. An enjoyable, gorgeous film that is different from the musical, but between them both, I would watch the musical many more times (especially with good musical artistes).

Jack Reacher [Dig]

A competent thriller that served as a launching pad for Tom Cruise's new franchise. A good whodunit that keeps one guessing but does not really answer the why. If not for the Newtown massacre, the chances are quite high for a sequel. But overseas takings should be high enough to potentially generate interest in a sequel. Cruise is easily charismatic in this show but his presence is lacking a certain amount of authority and danger. Rosamund Pike is not very convincing in her role and her chemistry with Cruise is barely present. Thankfully there's Robert Duvall to save the day. Also, the first scene was very well done, but sadly the rest of the movie was mediocre only. Having not read the books by Lee Child, I believe this story would have been better as a novel than what was translated on the screen which dragged on a bit longer than needed.

The Intouchables

A genuinely heartwarming and feel good French dramedy movie by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledanz, the writing and directing duo, that was filled with laughters throughout. François Cluzet and Omar Sy are two wonderfully charismatic leads with excellent chemistry together lit up the screen with their irresistible personalities and infectious smiles. They are the reason this inspired-by-true-events movie worked so well despite the obvious dramatisation and inauthenticity of certain scenes, coupled with a stereotypical look at racial segregation. But leaving all that politics aside, we are left with a startlingly heartwarming crowd pleaser. Starting from the first scene we are hooked. The prologue introduces the leads but paint them vaguely to intrigue the audience and tease about their relationship and how they got there. They and the excellent supporting cast (in particular Audrey Fleurot and Anne Le Ny) really brought the audience into the lives, and it's very rare to see a cast that seemed so comfortable and natural amongst each other. Also rare are the many genuinely laugh out moments that pepper the movie from start to end, and not one was due to physical comedy or slapstick. The jokes parried from one actor to another fluidly. Kudos to the writers/directors and cast for that! The directors too made good choices of music, with selections ranging from Classicals to Ludovico Einaudi's evocative "Fly" and other emotive piano tracks (reminiscence of Michael Nyman's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" and Sia's "Breathe") to Earth, Wind and Fire's hits, and any movie that used Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" so effectively and appropriately definitely deserves a shout out and recognition (although nothing beats "Six Feet Under" haunting utilisation of this tune). The weakest links were the threads involving Sy's family and Cluzet's daughter, although the latter did try to serve as a reflection of sorts. Thankfully this movie steered clear of the cheesy schmaltzy cliches that tend to plague this genre. A definite winner and crowd pleaser that almost everybody would enjoy.

<En français par Google Translate> Un véritable sentiment réconfortant et bon film comédie dramatique française par Olivier Nakache et Éric Toledanz, le duo écriture et la réalisation, qui était remplie de rires tout au long. François Cluzet et Omar Sy sont deux fils merveilleusement charismatiques avec excellente chimie ainsi illuminé l'écran avec leurs personnalités et des sourires irrésistibles infectieuses. Ils sont la raison pour laquelle ce film inspiré par de véritables événements-a si bien fonctionné malgré la dramatisation évidente et l'inauthenticité de certaines scènes, couplé avec un regard stéréotypé à la ségrégation raciale. Mais en laissant de côté tous que la politique, on se retrouve avec un pleaser de foule étonnamment chaud au coeur. A partir de la première scène nous sommes devenus accros. Le prologue introduit les fils, mais les peindre vaguement à intriguer le public et taquiner au sujet de leur relation et comment ils sont arrivés là. Ils et l'excellent casting de soutien (en particulier Audrey Fleurot et Anne Le Ny) a vraiment fait le spectateur dans la vie, et il est très rare de voir un casting qui semblait si confortable et naturelle entre eux. Aussi rares sont les nombreux moments vraiment rire que le poivre le film du début à la fin, et pas un seul était due à la comédie physique ou burlesque. Les blagues paré d'un acteur à un autre fluide. Bravo aux auteurs / réalisateurs et fonte pour ça! Les administrateurs trop fait de bons choix de la musique, avec des sélections allant de Classiques de Ludovico Einaudi évocateur "Fly" et d'autres pistes de piano émotives (réminiscence de Michael Nyman "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" et Sia's "Breathe") de Earth, Wind et frappe Feu, et n'importe quel film celle utilisée Nina Simone "Feeling Good" de manière efficace et appropriée mérite certainement un cri de reconnaissance et d'(bien que rien ne vaut "Six Feet Under" utilisation de cette mélodie obsédante). Les maillons les plus faibles étaient les fils impliquant la famille Sy et la fille de François Cluzet, bien que celui-ci a essayé de servir en tant que reflet de toutes sortes. Heureusement, ce film réussi à éviter les clichés ringards eau de rose qui ont tendance à toucher ce genre. Un vainqueur définitif et pleaser de foule que presque tout le monde apprécierait.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey [IMAX HFR 3D]

Amazing world-building! And in this case, world-expanding. This prequel to the LOTR really expanded on the realms of Middle Earth and although spotted throughout with familiar faces, this is a different Middle Earth from the one that we visited a few years back. The story started off slow, with an introductory first act followed by a deliberate second act that served to establish the roles of the main characters and elucidate their Hero-quest. The movie only got into an exciting and adrenaline-rushing roll in its final act. As the first chapter of a planned trilogy, it lacked the cinematic climax and is clearly building up to something bigger. Making a book into a trilogy obviously has its drawbacks: how to fill the time? My guess, from never having read "The Hobbit" is that Peter Jackson has clearly chosen to include almost every scene from the book and hence neglected cinematic pacing and narrative flow. This is good for the purists who want everything translated to the big screen, but for the casual movie-goer the pacing and extraneous scenes can be trying. Martin Freeman makes a fine Bilbo, and his comedic timings as well as knack for on-the-spot reaction shots and physical comedy makes him an unlikely hero to root for. We know he survive, but we are intrigue in the how: how did he survive and how has he changed. This differs from the overtly masochistic hero of Richard Armitage's Thorin Oakenshield who we slowly learn to care for and root for his victory. Although his characterisation needs more work as he is prone to outbursts that seemed to contradict his behavior. Lastly, Ian McKellen as Gandalf brings the same character back to our screen. He is still up to his old bag of tricks (which we now see he has been using for the past 60 years at least). McKellen infuses in Gandalf a potent mixture of childish mischief, angry parent, patient teacher and - strangely enough - shy admirer. The rest of the cast do not have much else to shine for, although it does take some time to get to know all the dwarves. In addition, it is always a pleasure to see Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Chistopher Lee back on the screen again reprising their roles, although a part of me was hoping for a cameo by Liv Tyler or even Orlando Bloom. Smeagol is always a delight, but I thought his scene was a bit too drawn out and lacked the necessary tension. Howard Shore had created an iconic theme in the LOTR trilogy and he now re-introduced us to a new theme that is strong, heroic and hopeful theme yet tinged with slight danger and darkness. The music throughout was spot on and really brings the audience into the world in the screen. 3D was excellent here as the movie itself was filmed in 3D so the shots were largely planned out to submerged the audience into Middle Earth. Now, about the big fat elephant in the theatre. I must say, I am a believer in this new theatrical format of 48fps. Everything thing is extremely clear and sharp, and this can be a double-edged sword. The details that pop out of the screen (and in this case literally with 3D) was gorgeous as were all the breathtaking sets that Peter Jackson and crew constructed. Panning shots and sweeping vistas (which Jackson has always shown he was very fond of to show off his home country) were clear and in focus unlike traditional 24fps where it was all a blur. One can really appreciate the grandeur and majesty of these large scenes/sets. However, with all the details stark clear, the CGI became more apparent. Viewing "The Hobbit" in 48fps is akin to watching television in HD; the initial reaction was the glaring starkness and artificiality of the actors and their environment. But as TV evolved with HD, we all got more and more used to watching our favourite shows in all their HD glory. The initial 15 minutes sure took me some time to get used to the higher frame rate, and admittedly it did get a bit nauseous. But after a while, the eyes and brain adjust and one can truly appreciate the wonder of that extra clarity. I believe this and 3D will be the way to go in the future for movies: James Cameron, Martin Scorcese and Ang Lee have all shown what 3D can do to enrich the movie-going experience, so here's hoping Jackson sets the trail ahead for 48fps!

Balzac Brasserie

A quick visit to Chef Jean-Charles Dubois (previously of the now defunct The French Kitchen) new restaurant at Rendezvous Hotel. Only had time for starters and coffee. He revamped his lobster bisque: now served with a side of fried Mozambique prawns. But still easily his signature dish and one of the best lobster bisque in the market. The half dozen Fine de Claire oysters were fresh and succulent with a hint of sea saltiness, and goes excellently with a splash of mignonette and lemon. Ambience was great: old-school French/Parisian brasserie with polite service. Price wise, it's comparable to The French Kitchen, ie on the high side of affordability.

Updated (14 Dec 2012): Came back for a proper lunch today. Chef Jean-Charles is still as affable as ever. Their wine-per-glass selections is actually quite good and reasonably priced. But the bottled list was not impressive. The escargots were outstanding! Served piping hot in a mixture of salt, olive oil and herbs. The mollusk were chewy yet had a later of crunch with it. I had the beef tartare today, and this is definitely only for those who actually do like raw beef. And if you do, then you would be rewarded with a tasty oral pleasure. Tender with a slight chewiness and crunch brought out by the salt/pepper/herb and celeriac(?) mix and smoothened out with the raw yolk. The tartare was served, uniquely, with a serving of shoestring fries which were strangely addictive. Although it tasted better when just served. Lastly dessert was a superb vanilla creme brûlée although the custard may have been cooked just a tad too long. Nonetheless, the taste was great. Not too sweet nor too bland.

Verdict: Will definitely come back repetitively.

Rust and Bone (De Rouille et D'Os)

A raw, honest, and powerful performance by Marion Cotillard together with the broodingly handsome and charismatic Matthias Schoenaerts makes this an engaging little art house flick by Jacques Audiard. The 2 stars have a palpable chemistry that makes that characters believable and arresting. 2 strangely co-dependent damaged/handicapped souls, one physical and one emotional, coming together, supporting each other and discovering that only by letting go of the tethers of shame and pride can they appreciate what life has so much more to offer and give. Sounds cliche, and it could jolly well have devolved into that, but Audiard's directing, couple with the strong committed performance of the two leads, changed this from a conventional love story to one that is complex in its simplicity. Cotillard gives her strongest performance yet since "Le Mome" and is a strong contender for a Best Actress Oscar nomination. She is at her best in her native French movies rather than the big, glitzy Hollywood blockbusters. Her portrayal was nuanced, honest and raw, and although it lacked the dramatics of being Edith Piaf it was nonetheless captivating with the emotions playing across her face without the emotional grandstanding. Schoenaert's exuded masculinity and yet beneath that macho bravado we can glimpse the emotional vulnerability of a lost man. Audiard's directing had a lot of repeating motifs and themes on limbs and life; he also liked to bathe his characters alternatively in sunlight and shadows. I felt that the last third was a bit too truncated and too rush, although it has the most emotionally-baiting scene which works because of Schoenaerts and Alexandre Desplat's score. Speaking of which, the very prolific Desplat has composed a very suitable score that permeates throughout and enriches the scenes, especially those wordless ones.


<en français par Google Translate> Une performance brute, honnête et puissant par Marion Cotillard avec le broodingly beau et charismatique Matthias Schoenaerts en fait un film engageante petite maison d'art de Jacques Audiard. Les 2 étoiles ont une chimie palpable qui fait que les personnages crédibles et saisissant. 2 étrangement co-dépendantes âmes endommagées / handicapés, l'un physique et émotionnelle, se rassembler, se soutenant mutuellement et découvrir que c'est seulement par lâcher les amarres de la honte et la fierté peuvent-ils apprécier ce que la vie a tellement plus à offrir et donner. Sonne cliché, et il pourrait joliment ont dégénéré en cela, mais mise en scène Audiard, en couple avec la forte performance commis des deux fils, a changé ce à partir d'une histoire d'amour classique à celui qui est complexe dans sa simplicité. Cotillard donne sa meilleure performance depuis encore "Le Môme" et est un candidat sérieux pour une nomination meilleure actrice aux Oscars. Elle est à son meilleur dans son pays natal films français plutôt que les grandes superproductions d'Hollywood célébrités. Son interprétation a été nuancée, honnête et de matières premières, et même si elle n'avait pas les dramaturgie d'être Edith Piaf, il a été néanmoins captivant avec les émotions qui jouent sur ​​son visage sans la démagogie émotionnelle. Schoenaert de la masculinité et respirait encore sous cette bravade macho nous pouvons entrevoir la vulnérabilité émotionnelle d'un homme perdu. Mise en scène Audiard a eu beaucoup de répétition des motifs et des thèmes sur les membres et de la vie, il aimait aussi se baigner ses personnages alternativement dans la lumière du soleil et les ombres. J'ai senti que le dernier tiers était un peu trop tronquée et trop se précipiter, même si elle a la scène la plus émotionnellement piège qui fonctionne grâce à Schoenaerts et le score d'Alexandre Desplat. En parlant de cela, le très prolifique Desplat a composé un score très convenable qui se répand dans tout et enrichit les scènes, en particulier ceux ceux sans paroles.

Keisuke Tonkotsu King

Situated at a corner of the new Orchid Hotel in Tanjong Pagar, this little hole-in-the-wall that sits only 20 has a perpetually long queue snaking outside its doors. And for good reason. The tonkotsu soup base here is clearly one of the best in Singapore. I had the black spicy everything in special with extra chicken oil and the results was outstanding. The broth was thick and fragrant (especially if the sesame seeds were crushed and added). The pork bone taste lingers and one can barely taste the MSG inside, and with the black spice it gave it a tang of peppery, sze chuan like bite to the soup. I had the hard noodles which was very QQ, but perhaps a bit too much for me. The noodles were the traditional Tokyo-thin kind. The everything-in order came with 3 slices of char siew (generic, non-fatty versions), 1 ramen egg (well made, soft, orangey yolk) and 1 large slice of nori; I skipped the spring onions. The size of the portion was adequate, but for a large eater, remember to keep some soup and ask for a top up of noodles: kaedama.

Verdict:  Will definitely come back and try their various combinations of soup bases and noodles QQ-ness.