The 47-storey scalloped architectural project that is Sathorn Tower is like the Titanic. It was to be the tallest and most luxurious of buildings in Bangkok, commanding priceless views from its prime position. But Thailand’s financial crash in 1997, nicknamed the Tom Yum Goong Crisis, sunk the development and everything was brought to an abrupt…
Category: Lifestyle
EOS PROFESSIONAL: TIMOTHY TAN
You might have seen him along the circuits, snapping furiously away as the action whirrs by in a blur. Timothy sees what some of us cannot, and shares the frozen snapshot to display the full beauty of the sports. EOS Professional Timothy Tan He’s in it for the adrenaline. Timothy spends his time in the…
CHINA’S VAN GOGHS (FILM REVIEW)
Made in China. The very line elicits derogatory reactions – cheap, fake, inferior. In the village of Dafen in the city of Shenzhen, one can say this rings true. In 1989, a Hong Kong businessman began turning hamlet into horde, with his peasants-turned-oil painters replicating masterpieces of the Western world for sale. He started with…
GEOSTORM (FILM REVIEW)
The worrying trend of climate change has provided fodder for big movies these last few years. From documentaries to epic disaster movies, the topic is a compelling one as we throw out many “what if” scenarios. Geostorm is the latest entry that places us in the future of a possible scenario, where we use tech…
CHRONICLING SINGAPORE’S HERITAGE HAWKERS: ALVIN FOO
We Singaporeans love our food. There’s been a recent awareness that the local hawker trade might be in danger of fading away, with no heirs to the wok. Alvin Foo teams up with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to chronicle our legendary chefs in the project: Heritage Hawkers. Hunting down our food culture icons is…
A WINNING EXPERIENCE AT CANON PHOTOMARATHON: MARK ANTHONY LIM
Mark Anthony Lim was the winner of Canon PhotoMarathon XIV in 2016. He wowed judges with his lively perspectives and spirited captures. In light of the upcoming Canon PhotoMarathon on 23rd September, we find out about his competition experience and his takeaways. Winner of Canon PhotoMarathon Mark Anthony Lim at Oarai Isosaki Shrine, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan during the…
MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (FILM REVIEW)
South Korea has been dishing out finely polished film productions in recent years, going big-scale from sets to budgets. It’s good to see someone in Asia carrying the torch in this region, as other giants like Hong Kong, China and India struggle to catch the wind in their filmmaking sails. Midnight Runners is South Korea’s…
KODOMO TSUKAI AKA INNOCENT CURSE (FILM REVIEW)
Children, can be creepy. With their beguiling ways and cherubic faces, they intensify horror when gurgle becomes growl and smile becomes sneer. This formula has kept classics going – think Children of the Corn or The Omen – and in Japan, director Takashi Shimiau has been terrifying audience with Toshio, the mewling boy from Juon….
TECHNICAL LANDSCAPES WITH JERRY WANG
Mysterious, stunning, breath-taking – Jerry’s picturesque feed documents the world in all its glory. From snowy peaks to glimmering stars, the natural settings that he captures creates a dream portfolio for any photographer. We delve into his processes and get a little bit more technical on his hobby. Landscape and travel photographer Jerry Wang You…
EOS WORLD INFLUENCER: JULIAN CHEONG
Pink and gold sunsets are paired with teal skies and seas on Julian Cheong’s Instagram. We speak with him about his palette and theme choice for his feed. You have a stark portfolio of landscape, buildings and people, featuring colour play and contrast. How did this theme come about? When I first got into photography…
THE TAG-ALONG 2 (FILM REVIEW)
It won awards for the two leads and topping The Conjuring, was also the highest grossing horror film in a decade for Taiwan. So it’s not surprising that the 2015 The Tag-Along spawns a sequel from director Cheng Wei Hao. The Tag Along 2 is more of the familiar, following the predecessor’s key devices but…
ZOMBIE FIGHTERS (FILM REVIEW)
There’s a slew of disposable films coming out these days. They tend to be offsprings from a successful title or copycat formula, and usually ends up a poorer cousin of the original. Zombie Fighters is director Poj Arnon’s latest installment and to reference the earlier metaphor, this would be a one-ply – it’s physically there…
ESFAHAN, IRAN – TINY POOL, BIG ASPIRATIONS (HOTEL REVIEW)
What led up to my booking at Howzak House is a tale unto itself. Having had no luck getting a budget accommodation in Esfahan for my trip, I was in a cafe trawling through the net when a friend who had just returned from Iran popped in. After exchanging greetings, I asked her for tips…
YAZD, IRAN – CURIOUS NAME BUT PURR-FECT STAY (HOTEL REVIEW)
You wouldn’t guess but behind one of Yazd’s old city mud walls is a very modern Jungle Hotel. I’m not sure what the owner was thinking of when naming the place, but when it came to the set-up, he’s got it down pat. A relatively new option, Mr Ghiyamat has fitted Jungle’s rooms with modern…
SHIRAZ, IRAN – FINDING YOUR HEART AT TAHA (HOTEL REVIEW)
Five minutes beyond the popular institution Niayesh, is this little gem of a business. When I went on a hunch to pick this over Niayesh, I was never prepared for how right it would be. Taha House is a traditional Iranian house recalibrated to give Shiraz visitors both private and dorm room options. The century-old…
COLOURFUL PORTRAITS WITH THE 5D MK III: RONALD PARAS
At the recent Holi – Colours of Spring event held at the Esplanade, Ronald Paras created portraits that captured many with their luminescent and ephemeral qualities. We find out more about his process in such a spontaneous and dynamic environment. Your portraitures at the event were very engaging. Was it a preconceived concept, or were…
MON MON MON MONSTERS (FILM REVIEW)
Right off the bat, acclaimed director Giddens Ko makes his statement – this is not like his 2011 hit You Are The Apple of My Eye. Mon Mon Mon Monsters may be set in a high-school, but bears nothing of the previous work’s whimsy or sentimentality. Instead, it asks the classic question – what makes…
WONDER BOY (FILM REVIEW)
Behind every song, there is an untold story – the liner of Wonder Boy promises. The inspired biopic film of our homegrown singer-composer Dick Lee sounded like a good idea during inception, but sadly ends up off-key. Benjamin Kheng is the 16-year-old Dick Lee, an outcasted musically-inclined boy who has a thing for composing his…
USING THE CANON EOS M5 FOR INSTAGRAM: HERWIN JOHARI
We think we know Singapore, but scrolling through Herwin Johari’s feed, one realises there’s so much on the island that we miss out on, during our daily rush to get things done. Founder of the aptly-named Explore Singapore feed as well, we speak to Herwin about using the EOS M5 for his social media. Herwin…
TU-TALLY SINGAPOREAN
If Singapore had a national dish, many would contend for a spot. But as with many origin stories, other countries might beg to differ. Try as we might, it’s difficult to clarify who exactly invented a dish. While the rest might be a little shady, one snack has been quietly steaming in the background, secure…
Wish Upon (Film Review)
It seems like horror films these days come more with cred tags than an actual tagline. You know, the sort that goes “by the makers/producers/director of Insidious/Conjuring/Annabelle”? Wish Upon is the latest entry, opting to put the combination of Director and Annabelle together to achieve that repute. The cursed wish box film certainly holds some…
A Quick Look Into Birding And Nature: Howard Yap
Howard Yap’s feed on Instagram features some amazing landscape, but what he is now known for are his stunning, detailed shots of regal birds in their natural habitat. We speak to him about his love for birding. Howard Yap Scrolling through your social feed, it’s clear that you have an affinity for animals, in particular,…
Spiderman: Homecoming (Film Review)
Coming after the box office titan that is Wonder Woman, one can only imagine the pressure faced by the execs at Marvel and Sony. Especially after a string of reboots that were tepid at best. They have nothing to worry about with Spiderman: Homecoming. It is amazing. Just when superhero franchise fatigue is setting in,…
Wu Kong (Film Review)
Also known as Wu Kong Zhuan, this newest adaptation of the Monkey King’s adventure stems from the writings of an internet sensation by the name of Jin Hezai. The budding internet novelist burst into fame in 2000 with a version that layered modern-day ideas into the classic, in a more consumable tone. Think Young Adult…
The Wall (Film Review)
There’s two sides to every story. And The Wall tries to paint that by pitting an American Ranger against an Iraqi sniper in a tense 90-minute standoff in the desert, with titled wall between them. It’s 2007 and the Iraqi war has ended. Sergeants Shane Matthews (John Cena) and Allan Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) are a…
10 Popular Spots In South East Asia For Photos
One of the best things about living in Singapore is how central it is to many beautiful travel destinations. Just in the South East Asia list alone are countries that offer such diversity and beauty, it’s no wonder they become a photographer’s playground. We take a look at 10 of the most popular spots where…
Canon EOS Professional Spotlight – Stanley Cheah
While many like to capture motion, Stanley Cheah has made a point of doing speed photography in sports and events, to capture frozen stills with plenty of energy and story. We speak to him about his work. Sport Photographer: Stanley Cheah Camera: Canon 1DX MK II Lens: EF 400mm f/2.8 MK II You capture many…
The Next Instagram Trend: Lens Flare (And How to Capture It)
Straight on the heels of the Bokeh comes the next Instagram photography trend: The Lens Flare. Blame it on J.J.Abrams and his obsessive use of them in popular movies, or the insatiable appetite of Singaporeans for pretty light effects, this trending effect is flipping the table on traditional photography rules and ruling shots on social…
The Mummy (Film Review)
Do you remember that game we played when we were young? The one where someone would start writing a paragraph of a story and pass it on to the next person to continue, but only letting them see the last line from that paragraph? After the last person finishes, the final tale that unfolds will…
Colossal (Film Review)
Gloria (Anne Hathaway) has fallen and can’t get up. The spunky online writer with a blunt haircut lost her job in New York and can’t muster enough self-worth to pursue another one. She proceeds to lose boyfriend and home, forcing her to escape to her parents’ unrented vacant house in her small hometown. This girl…
MORGAN AWYONG 