City Lights

The story is about a tramp's relationships with a blind girl and a rich man.

Liked the interesting plot and the nice ending!

Internet Movie Database Link

Sita Sings the Blues

The story is based on an Indian epic, the Ramayana, that described the ups and downs in the relationship between prince Rama and his wife Sita after they were banished to the forest.

Liked how the director weaved her own story into the film and used different ways to tell the same story! It was refreshing to learn the plot through the discussion among the three narrators! The songs were appropriate and nice too!

Internet Movie Database Link

My Magic

The story is about the relationship between an alcoholic father who used to be a magician and his son who was cared for mainly by his grandmother.

Liked the quiet scenes such as the one where the train passed by in the background. Didn't really like the magic shows which were too extreme in my opinion.

Internet Movie Database Link

Thirst for Love

The story is about how a young widow became her father-in-law's lover but secretly had a desire for the apathetic gardener.

Liked the interesting psychological study into the different characters! Great acting by the lead actress!

Internet Movie Database Link

Margin Call

The story is about how a group of traders discovered the real risk of mortgage based securities in 2008 and the boss of the company decided to sell everything off the next day.

Great acting by Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons! Hoped they could explain a little bit more on some of the financial terms though.

Internet Movie Database Link

Black Sun

The story is about how a jazz loving Japanese encountered an injured black American soldier who was wanted for murder and carried a machine gun.

Liked how the friendship grew between the Japanese and the American despite their difficulty to communicate with each other!

Internet Movie Database Link

I Hate But Love

The story is about the love-hate relationship between a well known DJ and his manager cum lover.

Liked the nice little journey across Japan on the old jeep! Both the DJ's girlfriend and the jeep owner looked quite pretty!

Internet Movie Database Link

The Warped Ones

The story is about how a jazz loving delinquent took revenge on a young reporter who had tipped him off to get him in jail by raping his girlfriend. She became pregnant and had to take drastic steps to make things "normal" again.

Liked the fast pace action and the interesting twists to the plot!

Internet Movie Database Link

The Artist

The story is about how a popular silent film actor coped when silent films gradually became obsolete with the invention of talkies.

Liked the performance of the dog very much! Didn't quite understand Valentin's reluctance to move into talkies though and felt the later part of the film dragged a little.

Internet Movie Database Link

Beam

The story is about a small boy who made friends with an unknown neighbour by shining a beam of light at each other for several nights.

Liked the intimate portrayal of the family! Great acting by the little boy!

Internet Movie Database Link

Mee Pok Man

The story is about a mee pok stall owner's obsession with a prostitute who frequented his stall.

Liked how different people used different language to communicate in the film and the voice over narration from the diary! A little bit too creepy for my taste towards the end though.

Internet Movie Database Link

Intimidation

The story is about how a man's senior position in a bank was threatened when someone who knew about his illegal loans confronted him.

Liked the interesting human psychology games played in the film and the detailed examination on how the bank worked internally!

Internet Movie Database Link

Passing Fancy

The story is about how a blue-collared worker helped a young retrenched woman to find a job and how his infatuation with her affected his relationship with his colleague and his son.

Great acting by the father and the son!

Internet Movie Database Link

Carmen

The story is about how the director of a Spanish dance company searched for a lead dancer for his new dance production "Carmen" and how his life slowly began to resemble its plot.

Liked the beautiful dance sequences! The actress who played Carmen looked quite pretty too!

Internet Movie Database Link

Gorsch The Cellist

The story is about how a cellist in the orchestra improved his skills with the help of several animals living in his neighborhood.

Liked the nice music and the interesting plot! The cat, the cuckoo bird, the badger and the mouse all looked very cute!

Internet Movie Database Link

A Christmas Tale

The story is about a Christmas family reunion. The mother is having cancer and needs a bone marrow donor from her descendants, the eldest daughter is not on good terms with the middle son and the cousin is still in love with the youngest son's wife.

Found it hard to follow the plot initially as it rambled on in different directions but everything tied together very nicely in the end!

Internet Movie Database Link

Lunch On The Grass

The story is about how a young woman fell in love with a scientist who just discovered the power of artificial insemination and was advocating it in the late fifties.

Liked the intellectual debate on the use of artificial insemination and the comedic elements of the film!

Internet Movie Database Link

A Day In The Country

The story is about what how a French family from the city spent one day in the country for their holiday.

Liked the nice scenery in the countryside and the actress looked quite pretty! The ending was a little bit sad as the protagonists thought back about the happier moments in their lives.

Internet Movie Database Link

Causeway Cup 2011 (Day 5)

Round 40 vs Moses(Nigeria)
My third time playing Moses. Won with my INERTIA(69) against his EGOTISE(74) and SENTRIES(58). He almost had a third bingo GUANINE if one of the A on his rack was an I.

Round 41 vs Hanne Marks(Australia)
A rematch with Hanne. Missed an opening bingo with LOGOUTS when I decided to play OUTLOGS* instead as I remembered INBOXES* was no good in a previous game. Lost as she scored with MALTING(77) against my PLEASED(77) and RETAINS(62).

Round 42 vs Nidhi Singhvi(India)
A rematch with Nidhi. Won as I had FRAGILE(72) against her RESHINE(86). My STAN* and her DURATES* and FOXT* were challenged off.

Round 43 vs Steven Surya(Indonesia)
A rematch with Steven. Won as I had CREASED(76), RODENTS(87) and RUMbLED(89) against his ACCURATE(74), VENDERS(74) and TELAMON(77). He made two mistakes that gave me the win. First, he did not challenge off my DIPH* when I played HOI back hooking the H for 28 points. Then, he opened up the board with TIT, emptied the bag and allowed me to bingo out with RUMbLED(89).

Round 44 vs Martin Waterworth(Australia)
My third time playing Martin. Lost as he had WIRIEST(71) and OVERHAND(45) while I had TORNADE(73) and TRADING(73). Should have blocked the TWS lane with BAPU instead of leaving it open for him to score with WAXES for 45 points back hooking the S to BAP.

Round 45 vs Steven Surya(Indonesia)
My third time playing Steven. Both of us were out of top ten contention so it was more like a friendly match now. Lost as he had LUNGERS(79) and was able to score well in the end game while I and AUNTIES(72).

Won 25 out of 45 games in the end and was placed 24th position out of 84 players. Thought it was not too bad considering some of the mistakes that I made. Will miss participating in the Causeway Challenge as this is the last one being held.

Causeway Cup 2011 (Day 4)

Round 30 vs Adele Tan(Malaysia)
Had a rematch with Adele and lost as she bingoed with NONAGES(71) while I had no bingos.

Round 31 vs Marcus Loke(Malaysia)
Had a rematch with Marcus and lost as he bingoed with GRUNTER(74) and CENTRIES(85) while I had no bingos.

Round 32 vs Sunny Wright(Australia)
Won easily against this elderly lady from Australia as I had TOADIES(67) and FINERIES(62) against her SPOILER(62).

Round 33 vs Caroline Scowcroft(Australia)
Won easily against this lady from Australia as I had OUTSIDE(72) and FITNESS(77) while she had no bingos.

Round 34 vs Moses Oguwa(Nigeria)
Had a rematch with Moses and won with my SIERRAN(71) and RELINED(77). Would not have been able to play RELINED if he did not open up with RECT* for me to front hook with an E.

Round 35 vs Nicky Huitson(UK)
Lost to this lady from UK as she scored with DOATING(80) and MARINAS(66) against my STEERER(70) and RAVINES(84). Thought I could out with AULE* but it was challenged off.

Round 36 vs Carolyn Watt(Australia)
Won this lady from Australia as I scored with MILEAGE(72) against her ROSETTE(73). I think she gave the game away as she tried to bingo three times with phoneys, PANICED*, CONEISH* and COCHINE* and they were challenged off.

Round 37 vs Steven Surya(Indonesia)
Lost to this young man from Indonesia as he scored with BETTING(75) and MUTINGS*(76) against my RETINAE(69). Should have challenged both MUTINGS* and DES* when he played the bingo back hooking the S to an existing DE. I challenged off his FUADS* and KOURAN* though.

Round 38 vs Rex D'Souza(India)
Lost to this middle aged man from India as he had OARIEST(63) and ENTRIES(68) against my SNORTIER(67) and LEGATORS(60). Missed a turn when my TREASION* was challenged off as I thought that it was good.

Round 39 vs Martin Waterworth(Australia)
Had a rematch with Martin and won as I scored with DIALERS(66) against his POUNCES(67).