Some films I've seen recently

District 9 (2009)

Dir. Neill Blomkamp

Wow! What a film, is all I have to say. It's so refreshing to see a genuinely well produced, well scripted and directed science fiction film about aliens that ISN'T set in the United States. No, this film is set in Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city. And the aliens are called 'prawns' (hmmm, I wonder why). The film begins with the premise that the prawns arrived to Earth unannounced in their spaceship several years earlier, for no apparent reason. The South Africans eventually brought the prawns down from their spaceship and housed them in a series of slums (District 9) directly beneath their vessel, which hovered in the sky. And so begins the amazing story of Wikus van der Merwe, a most South African (Afrikaans) character who works for the department for alien affairs. He is the ultimate tragic hero. His fall from grace through the film is both heart-wrenching and satisfying at the same time. He leads a team of law enforcers who try to evict over 1 million prawns from the slum in central Johannesburg to a more secure facility outside the city. The manner in which this happens is reminiscent of the way blacks may have been treated in apartheid South Africa or in segregated America, or any minority group which has suffered unfair persecution for that matter. The film uses aliens as a metaphor to draw attention to the flawed human nature, the difficulty we find in accepting "others" different from ourselves, and the selfishness with which we pursue our own ambitions. It's a dark film, sinister in places, but also beuatiful, in its cinematography and its mesaage. Wikus van der Merwe, at first hateful of the prawns, must learn to deal with them and their kind as he fights to regain control of his life, after an accident in District 9 turns his life upside down. The film was financed by the legendary Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Braindead), who used some of the money he made from the Lord of the Rings trilogy to get District 9 off the ground. And it isn't a film to be missed. A movie like this comes along every couple of years, and sets a new benchmark for gritty realist sci-fi. This film checks all the lists, and it'll keep you on the edge of your seat before you even know what hit you. Go see it, if you haven't already.

The Orphanage/El Orfanato (2007)
Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
A Spanish-language horror movie with a twist. A young couple, Laura and Carlos, decide to head back to the orphanage where Laura spent her youth, and turn it into a carehome for children. The couple's adopted son, who has HIV but doesn't know it, also comes along. But things aren't what they seem at the orphanage. And what seems simply like a child playing games with his "imaginary" friends quickly turns into a sinister plot of cat and mouse games between Laura and the captors of her son, Simon. The film is beautifully shot and benefits from the backing of producer/film-maker Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy). The Orphanage doesn't try to scare the viewer with 'cheap' scares but builds the plot up and keeps things elusive, never giving too much away, keeping you on the edge of your seat. It all becomes clear towards the end, after Laura spends much time and energy trying to rescue her adopted son from the clutches of someone (or something) living inside the orphanage.




Eden Lake (2008)
Dir. James Watkins
A fast-paced British horror-thriller which stays away from soppy, happy endings. This is a gritty chase film, about a couple, Jenny and Steve, who decide to (stupidly) stay by a lake in the north of England after being harassed by a bunch of anti-social yobs there. As the story progresses the kids show their true colours, and the cruelty demonstrated in the film is what keeps the viewer hooked. One of the protagonists, Steve, is just plain dumb after he decides to aggravate matters by confronting the kids. That sets in motion a series of unfortunate events which culminates in several brutal deaths in the forests of northern England. It's an eerie setting for a film which shows the disaffected north and its youth turning to horrendous acts of violence in the name of fun. While it may seem a bit far-fetched, Britain DOES have a problem with anti-social behaviour, and people will often go out of their way to avoid young kids who hang about street corners asking for trouble. Eden Lake takes this underlying British fear and escalates it to a whole other level of horror. The film is a must-see, most notably for its brutal scenes of torture, which spring out of nowhere, and just as quickly disappear, leaving the viewer seething with anger and fear.


The Last House On The Left (2009)
Dir. Dennis Illiadis
A remake of a 1972 film with the same name, this is a pure revenge film, through and through. And what a ride it is! The original film caused quite a stir when it came out back in the 1970's for an unusually graphic rape scene. I haven't seen the original, but rest assured, there IS a rape scene in the new 2009 version, and it is brutal! The film is pretty basic as far as horror goes. Two girls get caught up with some terribly nasty criminals and have to run for their lives. The protagonist, 17-year-old Mari, is your typical blond teenager, but her tragic abduction by a band of good-for-nothing criminals releases the fighter in her. Having escaped from her tormentors somehow (they think they've killed her), she ends up finding her way back to her parent's holiday home. But little does she know those very criminals are staying in her parents' guesthouse. When Mari's parents, Emma and John, discover that the people who raped and battered ther little girl are staying just a few hundred yards from them, after they opened their home to them in a storm, the fun begins. It's a roller-coaster ride of violence and suspense the whole way through. After having witnessed the brutality and nastiness of the villains, the viewer wants nothing more than to see them die a horrible death. And the parents, Emma and John, oblige. In a wierd way it can be seen as a feel-good film, the lengths parents will go to protect and avenge their children, it's quite a lovely thought. It's very well done and the director genuinely creates a climate of fear around the main villain. When he finally dies (don't worry, I haven't given it all away) it's a great moment!

Obama/Peace Prize

Less than a year in office and Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I heard the news this morning and I couldn't help but stop and think about it. At first glance it seems premature, inappropriate, an unnecessary burden for the administration - even politicised. The Nobel Committee were known for their distaste for the Bush-era. They've already awarded a peace prize to another anti-Bush individual - Al Gore. Obama himself, besides being elected the first African-American President in the history of the nation, hasn't actually accomplished much to merit the award, at least not yet. But if you think about it for a second, maybe he has by virtue of the fact that he leads the most powerful country in the world. And by changing the tone of US policy in such dramatic ways and in such a short time, the prize is a recognition of a major shift in international relations. The Nobel Committee says he's been very active in shifting the focus of world affairs to dialogue, negotiation, an awareness of climate change and focus on democracy and human rights. For that reason Barack Obama is already a Nobel Peace prize laureate - I imagine it's an unimaginable burden on top of his already rather full plate.

Obama played the PR game well when accepting the prize. He said he doesn't see it as a recognition of his accomplishments but rather a call to action - a dramatic reminder of the momentum of things around the world. But had I been US President (I know, I know...but just go with me here), I would have reacted differently. I would have declined the prize. Thanking the Committee I would have said that my time in office should be allowed to speak for itself, so if after 4 years, or 8 years, I had managed to achieve the goals I set out, I would be more deserving. Now that may be public relations suicide, but I reckon I would have come out looking pretty good.

All said and done I think it's the major shift in US politics with the arrival of Obama and with him a new and fresh bunch of policy buffs that's having an affect on world affairs. And it's an amazing thing no doubt. I still can't believe there's been such a dramatic change in US power structure.

By awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize the Committee may have placed a very difficult benchmark for the Obama administration to meet. Obama only has 3 years left to prove the Committee was right in its decision. But recognising the massive steps that have already been taken by Obama on things like the Middle East peace process, healing wounds with the Muslim world with a landmark speech in Cairo, climate change and sustainable energy, toning down rhetoric against Iran and North Korea - then you begin to see why Obama may deserve this prize at the beginning rather than the end of his political life.

Malaysian Chicken & Potato Curry

I've been to Malaysia many times and the whole region's food makes my mouth water almost instantly every time I think about it. I love spicy food, with lots of flavour and heat. Malaysia and Singapore share much of the same cuisine. Their standard chicken curry is finger lickin' good, and while I was down in Singapore staying with my cousin I learned how to make it.

Ideally you need a packet of chicken curry powder from Malaysia or Singapore, but in the absence of that you can use any Indian chicken curry powder, the hotter the better.

Lightly fry some star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom and a few cloves in some oil. Try not to use olive oil. Any other oil works just fine. Only fry for a couple minutes, and then throw in some finely chopped shallots, chopped garlic and sliced fresh ginger. You could also throw in a battered lemongrass stick if you have it. Once the shallots begin to go a bit translucent, chuck in diced chicken pieces or chicken on the bone (whichever you prefer), along with a few spoonfuls of curry powder and 2-3 finely chopped tomatoes. Sear the chicken for a few minutes in the pan, just sealing the flavours slightly. Don't cook the chicken fully. While it is still half cooked, add some coconut milk (or water if you don't have it) to loosen up the gravy and allow the chicken to finish cooking in the liquid. At this stage throw in a few diced potatoes. Add salt to taste, cover and simmer on a low flame for about 20-30 minutes.

Serve hot with a bowl of warm rice - just delicious!

Kiwi Love

I'm in love with all things Kiwi at the moment - pineapple lumps, jaffa sweets, the All Blacks, bio-security, the accent, oh how I love the accent, Steinlager, New Zealand wine, not to mention the amazing domestic music scene in the country. Turns out little ol' New Zealand exports more chart topping music to neighbouring giant Australia than Australia does to New Zealand.

I stopped in Auckland for 24 hours on my way back to London. And when I left New Zealand after just one day and night, I was kicking myself for not being able to stay any longer. A cool Kiwi couple put me up for the night, friends of a friend of mine in London. Winston and Louise had only just moved into their new house the day before I crash landed. And then of course, Louise was 7 months pregnant as well. But it felt like we became friends almost instantly and they made me very welcome. And it's the Auckland they showed me that made me so upset to leave on a 26 hour journey all the way home without spending some more time in this breath-taking country.

I learned quite a bit about New Zealand in the time I was there. But I was surprised at the music scene there, which seems to be dominated by a lot of homegrown drum n' bass, reggae and dub. And I was even more pleased when I heard some of it. Amazing stuff. Who knew that here on the other side of the planet there's a whole new universe of music which people back at home are seemingly unaware of, with the exception of a small in-the-know (usually Kiwi) minority.

Right now I'm listening to Fat Freddy's Drop - a 7-piece live dub/reggae band with the most amazing sound. And I'm stoked they'll be playing at London's Hammersmith Apollo on 30 November. I'll be sure to write a little review once I've seen them. The band's second album 'Dr. Boondigga and the Big BW' is immense. All tracks but one are over 6 minutes, some of them 8 or 10 minutes long. It's got foot tapping dub, soulful lyrics, funk, jazz and reggae beats. Each and every track speaks for itself and I can imagine these guys are absolutely phenomenal live. They hail from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, where they started off. Their albums have gone platinum in their home country and been released to much acclaim around the world.

But why take my word for it? Check 'em out. Here are some links to get you started. I promise you won't be disappointed.

http://www.fatfreddysdrop.com/
www.myspace.com/fatfreddysdropnz
www.last.fm/music/Fat+Freddy's+Drop

Fiafia Samoa Days

A friend told me on my first day on the island that time does not rule Samoans, Samoans rule time. How true that is, and how wonderful to experience that pace of life which we so crave living in the hustle and bustle of the Western world. Time is but a man-made construct and yet we allow it to govern our entire lives – a sobering thought.

I arrived at night, to a country so isolated, so small, so insignificant in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, it conjures images of adventure in the farthest reaches of the planet – a true paradise upon Earth. But having arrived at night to Apia, the small capital of Western Samoa, my first impressions of this place were hidden from view in the deep black night. I later observed that the wild Pacific had been just metres from me that first night and I hadn’t even noticed. So in my first few minutes in Samoa, after leaving the airport and getting on the road, I looked up in the hope it may reveal something about this nation – and I saw it instantly – spectacular! The sky at night and indeed, this inspiring, breath taking and friendly country.

It took me a few moments but when I noticed it I felt a surge of excitement – the milky way in all its awesome glory. At first it just looks like a streak of cloud in the night sky, but then you realise it's not moving like a cloud, and the rest of the sky is crystal clear. It's the faint light coming from distant galaxies on the other side of the milky way. And the stars blinking in the night sky, literally from horizon to horizon. The experience made me not only marvel in the intense beauty of the universe but ponder things far beyond what I think my mind is capable of – life, death, beauty, love – and it all ultimately boils down to one thought: here I am standing on one of the remotest and smallest land masses on our planet looking out at the milky way where Earth itself is but the tiniest speck in a unimaginably vast universe. Truly humbling.


I was here visiting my brother who was in Samoa as part of his university studies. He was in the his penultimate year at medical school in London and was gaining some field experience. Under normal circumstances I can’t imagine I would have ever planned a trip to Samoa. I knew of the country and roughly where it was in the world, but it was so far away, so isolated and underdeveloped as far as tourism goes, that the prospect of going made me giddy with excitement. It’s true what some people say about our generation, those of us that have a true travel bug, always looking for something new – the idea of discovering a paradise few people will ever see is too tempting. My brother’s decision to go halfway across the world became a welcome catalyst for me to follow him.

I checked into a family run motel called Tatiana’s. And over the weeks I got to know the family – a wonderful and warm bunch who looked after me and all their guests as if were just extensions of their own family. Brenda and her husband Pappa (that’s what everyone called him), their daughter Athene, her 4 month old daughter Ayla and 3-year-old son AJ and her nephew 4-year-old Haarlen. They were close, looked after each other, it was clear to see. Only a family which is strong and comfortable with itself can invite so many to be a part of it. They have become my Samoan family and I love and respect them dearly.

And so began a truly wonderful adventure in one of the most beautiful and untouched parts of the world. I saw migrating humpback whales, breath-taking marine life including octopus, swordfish, starfish, and a wide and colourful array of coral fish. I witnessed some of the most stunning waterfalls I have ever seen and even swam in a freshwater pool as a 20 metre waterfall crashed into me. If you want unadulterated nature, allowed to just be, then Samoa is the place for you. It’s location and low level of development means that nature is the true winner. There’s no pollution, there’s very little deforestation and life in all its magnificence is just allowed to be. I have seen many beaches in my life and been on several ‘tropical’ holidays. Nowhere have I felt so touched by the beauty of the world and indeed the universe, than in Samoa. Sadly many of the beaches on the south coast of the main island of Upolu were devastated by a massive tsunami on September 28, leaving at least 100 people dead. My thoughts are with the wonderful people of Samoa as they mourn their loss. My only condolence will be to remind people of the awesome power of nature – its ability to inspire and destroy all at once.

The independent nation of Samoa (different from neighbouring American Samoa which is a U.S. protectorate) is made up of two main islands – Upolu and Savaii. Upolu is the main island, where the capital Apia is situated and where the majority of the country’s people live. Savaii, while bigger in land mass, is much more under developed. Small villages hug the coastline with a vast interior with lush tropical jungles and mountain ranges. My trip to Savaii was truly breathtaking, beyond a level I witnessed on Upolu. You have to be ready to rough and tough it a little bit on Savaii. You may not always find the kind of accommodation you might be used to, or food to your liking. But that’s not what this place is about. The natural beauty on offer on Savaii is far beyond anything I had ever seen – truly inspiring. The highlights of the island are no doubt the Alofago blowholes and the Afu Aau waterfall. The blowholes are natural rock formations jutting out from the southern coast of the island. Over the years the crashing waves have created natural holes through the volcanic rock. Because the holes are narrow, when a wave crashes into the rocks the water is pushed with intense pressure through the holes sending a powerful plume of water and steam straight into the sky, sometimes as high as 20-30 metres – a sight to behold. And these blowholes stretch across this part of the coastline, so it looks like the landscape is literally steaming from below, ready to burst at any moment. The Afu Aau waterfall is a 20 metre high waterfall that crashes into a freshwater pool in the middle of the jungle. It was definitely one of the best swims of my life. Being surrounded by such peace and tranquillity while observing the awesomeness of the falling water and jumping off natural rock formations either side of the pool, it was one of the highlights of my trip. It brought out the child in me again, in all of us, setting us free from our busy lives and forcing us right into the moment. You’d be a fool to miss out on the Afu Aau waterfall if you ever find yourself on Savaii.

The western most point of the island is quite an anomaly. It’s breathtaking with strong Pacific waves crashing into volcanic rock and lush forests just metres inland. But it’s unusual because it is officially the western most point in the whole world. The island sits on the other side of the international dateline, an imaginary line cutting right through the Pacific Ocean. From this point I could see “tomorrow” as it were and the last sunset on the entire planet (of that particular day). Quite an interesting thought when you stop and think about it for a minute.

The rest of the island is spectacular too, and there’s much else to see and do. The south east of the island is great for surfing and diving. And you can swim with turtles too, although the turtles I saw had been enclosed in a reservoir unable to swim freely in the ocean, so I decided against supporting such a venture. But it’s great for kids who would be unable to swim with such magical creatures in the wide ocean.


The main island of Upolu also has stunning beaches, mostly on the southern coastline. These are more developed than the ones on Savaii and you’re more likely to see other tourists and there are generally better facilities. The snorkelling on Lalomanu Beach was the best I have ever seen. I found myself at one point surrounded by 2 schools of fish, both of them at least 500-strong. One was a yellow coral fish and the other a black one. As they huddled underneath me they merged creating a magnificent explosion of yellow and black – truly awesome. On Upolu you should also try to visit the famous Sliding Rocks. These are small freshwater waterfalls which have made the rock smooth over the years – so smooth in fact that you can actually slide down them splashing into the pool below – loads of fun!


As I travelled the length and breadth of Samoa I made some observations about this country. Its people are some of the friendliest I have ever met. Everyone you see, walking on the street, driving through the country, everyone smiles and waves – Talofa (greetings in Samoan) – there is an inherent respect and consideration for other people here. People look out for each other, they talk to each other, without inhibitions. They are a religious and superstitious people and in this lies a paradox. Christianity is a big part of island life, and the only buildings with sound foundations are the many churches and chapels around the country. It seemed strange to me that people live in such makeshift housing, the traditional ‘fale’ which is an open hut with a roof to protect from sun and rain with very little privacy, yet their churches are ornamented, decorated, and immaculately clean. It says a lot about a people I think, when their houses of worship are given so much attention. I also noted that Samoa doesn’t really grow many cash crops. Besides fruit such as mango, papaya and bananas, the country doesn’t seem to produce any vegetables, not even for local consumption let alone export. It seemed odd to me that given the country’s tropical climate and great weather it would not try to grow more food. Almost all food items in the country are imported, making it very expensive to buy something simple like an aubergine or a cucumber. I wondered how Samoans themselves afford such luxuries as a head of broccoli. I suppose they don’t really need to eat broccoli, but they probably grow whatever they need for themselves, in their back gardens.

I could easily go on and on, about my observations, the things I saw and experienced and the people I met. It could fill a book. The memories will stay with me forever. Back in London now and I’m back into my routine, straight back into the rat race. While I was in Samoa I felt so far removed from my life, in both space and time. I was in a very happy bubble that promptly burst the minute I boarded the London underground train. I need time to internalise everything I saw. And I must reflect from time to time on the beauty I witnessed, in people and nature, so that I can live my life the Samoan way – with no stress and no inhibitions.