LESLIE CHEUNG (張國榮). 10 long years passed. This One’s for the Memory.

LESLIE CHEUNG  (張國榮)

NOW, SAY HELLO TO YESTERYEARS.

It had been 10 long years since LESLIE CHEUNG, Hong Kong cantopop singer and award winning actor departed this earth on April 1, 2003.

Yet it appears so like yesterday.

No one can stay forever young and don’t count on it that you are never going to grow old.

This is the path everyone has to trudge, whether you like it or not.

Tarry no more, look around you, hug someone you really care about and tell the person you love him dearly so.

The one you care about may be here today, gone tomorrow. He may not be around waiting for you.

Lest you forget, folks.

This one is for the memory.

LESLIE CHEUNG might have nosedived to his death from the 24th Floor of the MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL in HONG KONG on April 1,2003.

Yet until today, he had left behind many unanswered questions.

Despite relentless coverage by the paparazzi, his private persona had always been shrouded in mystery the way he wanted it.

And right to the present, the world is still gaping in consternation and clueless at his choice of abrupt departure on April Fool’s Day 6 years ago.

1.   Did he intend his hasty retreat from mankind to be a cruel case of life imitating art?

2.   Was he suffering from an incurable disease as some cruel speculations say?

3.   Was he suffering from manic DEPRESSION?

4.  Was it an impending break-up with his boy friend of many years that drove him to this mindless act?

For this ACTOR-cum-SINGER extraordinaire, the secret was buried with him.

LESLIE CHEUNG‘s entertainment career started in 1977 when he wowed the judges at the ASIAN MUSIC COMPETITION organized by RTV(currently know as ATV).

He was Hong Kong’s prettiest boy hunk, a self-declared bisexual and his life mirrored a thousand facades.

He is an ASIAN cinematic legend taken after JAMES DEAN for both the good looks and chameleon moods.

We will always remember the charisma and the angst that he portrayed often in his songs and films.

LESLIE CHEUNG is one powerful, daring and seductive performer who will take your breath away.

An actor’s lot is beseiged with pain and angst,within and without – reel and real.

He also taught us that when you are in this world, everyone is living a role.

No one is what he seems to be.

Not even the closest one next to you.

And that in life, ever individual has a game to play.

There’s always a way out of anything.

Except the past.

That was his vision.

And when you finally realizes the truth, it may change your opinion forever.

WHAT PRICE LIFE?

LIFE isn’t measured in minutes.

It’s the MOMENTS that count.

Count your blessings.

Because whatever you may have today, it may not be around tomorrow.

SO ENJOY THE MOMENTS WHILE YOU MAY.

This 16-year-old girl named RACHEL WILSON, she penned a sad peom to herself. I was all at once stunned by the clarity and realism of  her words:

You said you’be there for me,

But when I really opened up to you,

You just don’t wanna see,

But when I have these thoughts and breakdowns I ring

and you’re never there.

I can’t sleep at night, can’t sleep anymore,

My constant pains, my constant heart sores

all the thoughts of death I have, and suicide,

I tell you about them,

Why do you expect me to  hide?

I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE ONE I COULD TURN TO

WHEN IT GOTTEN TOO MUCH,

Well, you could fool me,

My feelings you don’t wanna touch,

I WILL JUST STAY AWAY,

I GET IT – CRYSTAL CLEAR,

But one day suicide will take over,

Then maybe you will realize my FEAR.

Yah, there’s a stark difference between DEPRESSION and SADNESS.

When you are depressed, you do not feel like being with anybody.

You either sleep more than usual,

Or you can hardly sleep at all.

Your appetite is either non-existent or increases dramatically,

Your energy level goes way down

And you’ve a hopelessness about LIFE …

As difficult as it is,

It is also important that you get out of the house and seek help.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

My mentor, an Executive Film Maker befriendedLESLIE in 1978 in Hong Kong when he was just starting out as  a a rookie.

He remembered visiting LESLIE on set at theRTV‘s when he was filming his first cantonese drama series called DESTINY.

LESLIE was then under the tutelage of K.K. TAM(who was simultaneously managing DANNY CHAN, another Hong Kong singer).

But it was under the ace leadership of FLORENCE CHAN some good years later, that LESLIE‘s career really soared.

The rest is history.

I have downloaded LESLIE CHEUNG‘s rendition of Rita Coolidge’s WE ARE ALL ALONE from YOU TUBE for your listening pleasure here.

Not many of his fans know that LESLIE‘s first record was an album of ENGLISH covers.

And there is a rare gem here, a radio recording of LESLIE CHEUNG being interviewed inENGLISH.

TIME HAS REALLY FLOWN.

AND MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE.

LYRICS of ” WE ARE ALL ALONE “:

Outside the rain begins,

And it may never end,

So cry no more, on the shore a dream,

Will take us out to sea,

Forever more, forever more,

Close your eyes and dream

And you can be with me,

‘Neath the waves through the caves of hours,

Long forgotten now,

We’re all alone,

WE’RE ALL ALONE,

Close the window, calm the light,

And it will be all right,

No need to bother now,

Let it out, let it all begin,

Learn how to pretend.

Once a story’s told,

It can’t be but grows old,

Roses do, lovers do,

So cast  your seasons to the wind,

And hold me dear, oh hold me dear,

Close the window,  calm the light,

And it’ll be all right,

No need to bother now,

Let it out, let it all begin,

All’s forgotten now,

We’re all alone,

Oh, WE ARE ALL ALONE.

“THE CALL” Movie Review. Be Warned that it’s One Hell of a Horrific Ride.

“THE CALL”  PRESS PREVIEW

Nail biting suspense, anyone?

Here’s another tour de force this week, specially crafted for true blue fans of pulse-pounding thrillers.

 This one should not disappoint.

 Film director BRAD ANDERSON blazes the trail with “THE CALL”, his latest pulsating suspense offering.

 It’s everything a scary feature should be, utterly gripping and brutally shocking, a la Alfred Hitchcock stylized whodunit.

 This diabolical tale of twisted suspense and macabre payback will have you taken for a precarious drive, gasping and guessing all the way, as to whether the victim is going to survive or die.

 HALLE BERRY and ABIGAIL BRESLIN dominate in this gritty tale that begins with a screamish 911 plea for help from a frightened teenage girl who’s been trapped in the trunk of a moving car.

 HALLE BERRY stars as Jordan, a 911 call operator who’s in a deadly race against the time, to trace the victim: a girl who has been kidnapped by a serial killer.

 Jordan soon realizes that the kidnapper is the same man who had killed another young woman whose emergency call she had answered six months before, a girl whose ultimate death Jordan still feels responsible for.

 Excellent performances from an all star cast.

HALLE BERRY as Jordan and ABIGAIL BRESLIN  (Casey) pitch in pushing-to-the- edge acting admirably. Even MICHAEL EKLUND who plays Michael, the psychotic predator with a glazed look makes it seems so real.

There’s nothing new in bits here and cliches there, as you’d have seen these highlighted in other features.

But all things being equal, it is the film director’s execution that’s two thumbs up.

“THE CALL” is a high voltage thriller, clever, gripping and intense with shocking gravity.

But you have to gear up your suspension-of-disbelief mode when you witness Jordan, unarmed and so alone, entering a creepy cabin and later a derelict basement to check out the rogue.

Wanna take this ride?

It may be a ride of pure terror, but go for it, as you are guaranteed a jolly horrific time.

“DEAD MAN DOWN” Movie Review. Vengeful Intents in this Neo Noir Thriller.

“DEAD MAN DOWN” PRESS PREVIEW

Along the seedy streets of New York by night, spins a dark tale of murderous intents.

A professional hitman is on his deadly prowl to follow shooting instructions.

A desolate woman, her face badly scarred from a horrific accident, is adjusting to a life of emotional torment.

Both share the same agenda: justifiable payback to the bad ones who had done them wrong.

This is a neo-noir revenge thriller helmed by renowned Danish director NIELS ARDEN OPLEV in his American debut set in metropolitan New York.

COLIN FARRELL plays Victor, an unhappy albeit sullen enforcer who’s working his way up his boss Alphonse’s (TERRENCE HOWARD) crime empire. Everything is not what it seems as  he is quietly plotting revenge against this crime lord  for the deaths of his wife and young daughter years earlier.

Unfortunately, his clandestine activities are espied by Beatrice (NOOMI RAPACE), the mysterious woman living across his apartment. As a bargain to keep her mouth shut, Beatrice insists that Victor performs a killing for her : to get rid of the drunken driver who had ruined her life and had been acquitted scot-free by the law.

Film director OPLEV’s treatment boasts a fine dash of European flavor, using taut and well framed shots. It is smart, entertaining and gripping.

All of which is a refreshing change from the usual Hollywood film, where diversity means pairing the hero with a black buddy.

At the end of the press screening, a fellow reviewer remarked:

“Thank God that the movie is not directed by an American director.”

I asked why?

“Because it is a refreshing change from the predictable American movie and I enjoyed this one immensely.”

The bottom line:

“DEAD MAN DOWN” is a take-off on the classic film noir that has action galore, suspense and maybe a doomed love story.

The movie poses an adrenaline tease, so go watch it armed with a suspension of disbelief.

You will be assured of the thrill of a pulsating ride.

Right.

“OZ the GREAT and POWERFUL” Movie Review. Effects laden, nevertheless Visually Stunning.

“OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL”

PRESS PREVIEW

There should be more than just a brimful of goodness in “OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL” given the worldwide media coverage.

As a peppy “feel good” movie, it’s positioned way-right-on-top, laced with an assortment of creative wonderment to entice you into its aesthetic world of awesome animation.

As a film, the surrealistic splendor is stylized with dazzling effects that will take your breath away, armed with fun characters and their boisterous banter, everything is set to bedazzle and tickle the mind.

That said, this is essentially wholesome family entertainment galore, and that’s what it’s meant to be, staying close to the familiar old school Disney doctrine that the good will always triumph over evil in eventuality.

“OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL” is crafted as an adventure fantasy directed by SAM RAIMI (The Spiderman Trilogy). He drums up a colorful extravaganza utilizing the brilliance of exotic blues, dazzling red and sparkling emeralds among others.

This 2013 film stays in top form to L.FRANK BAUM’s novel “The Wizard of Oz” and is actually a prequel to the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz”.

The glittering star ensemble comprising of JAMES FRANCO, MILA KUNIS, MICHELLE WILLIAMS and RACHEL WEISZ are all up for the challenge, competing tooth and nail for screen time, oozing charm and charisma.

Welcome aboard a wondrous journey of visual delights – on the ground, as in the Dark Forest, and in the air, when they travel via large transparent bubbles.

The colorful plot:

Oscar Diggs (James Franco) plays a conman, a compulsive womanising magician who has been swept up from a Kansas plain when a tornado hits and transported to  the merry Land of Oz.

Here, he encounters three beautiful albeit disdainful witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams).

Oscar becomes entangled in unexpected problems that are confronted by the citizens of Oz who had long awaited for a savior to rescue them from their lot.

Believing that Oscar would be their leader, they are buoyant with renewed hope, but Oscar who has always aspired to be a great and powerful man, will first have to redeem his wayward ways.

You are treated to flying moneys and flying baboons and what have you.  But don’t go making comparisons on past works over this present one.

Mesmerizing. Poignant.

“OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL” displays a refreshing take in arty surrealism.

The film director has certainly created a marvel.

Don’t miss it.

This THING called ANGST. When you’re FEELING

Friday, March 1, 2013

This THING called ANGST. When you’re FEELING 

HOT, stay COOL. (ReVisited).

(I absolutely LOVE this Article that I had written some 3 years 

ago, in 2009. It harbored a special personal significance

 in my heart then. 

Still, I have decided to trudge down memory lane again 

with this one. 

Enjoy!)

This THING called LIFE.

Into our LIVES, some rain must fall, right?

One cannot expect rays of sunshine all the time.

Forget about the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind.

No, Sir.

In the business world, FAILURE is a “four letter” word.

It can sap and drain your CONFIDENCE.

Isn’t it global recession now?

Mass unemployment, credit crunches, missed opportunities 

– the lot.

You’d cringe when big fat accounts zoom out of the 

window like birds fluttering away quickly 

for better weather.

LIFE IS NEVER EASY, NOR FAIR.

You might not be able to observe the mechanics of 

your own cycle, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

REALITY DOESN’T GO AWAY WHEN YOU STOP 

BELIEVING IN IT.

Human follies, uncharted lives, false friends, they will 

all exist in our daily struggles.

It ain’t summer all year round.

And winter comes with the frost bites.

Ahhh … this thing called ANGST.

When you are feeling HOT, stay COOL.

SMILE. LOVE YOURSELF. SMILE AGAIN.

Because if you do not love yourself, then it is 

impossible to love others.

Everyone needs some self-respect.

REALITY bites, ahh …

This bite can scorch really deep and hurting.

SHARON K, a fellow blogger provides some useful tips 

on how to weather this storm:

STAY POSITIVE, ALWAYS

Have you ever
Stopped to think
When tearing hair
And on the brink

Of wanting out
Of things to come
That all those things
Aren’t even done

They haven’t happened
Yet you act
As if they’re here…
You just react

React to what?
It’s in your mind
You liken it
To what’s behind

Yet when it comes
You find you sail
Right through it all
Without a wail

Why did you waste
That energy?
Maybe next time
You will just “be”.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE, FORGET THE PAST

Life isn’t as we all expect
It doesn’t go that way
We have to make the most of it
And take it day by day

Have no regrets about the past

And do not live in fear

Of what might come, and never does
Just put your focus here

Here in this moment, that’s the place
To make the most of life
Whatever comes, just turn it ’round
Create some joy from strife

I know you have that strength in you
I’ve seen it there before
Just draw on that to see you through
Don’t look back anymore.

SO WHEN YOU ARE FEELING HOT, STAY COOL, CHUM.

That is, if you wanna stay in one cool piece.

Are you blessed with a lyrical soul?

Can you thrive under the BEST and WORST conditions?

Look around you and count your blessings.

There are people who are born without limbs.

There are those who are blind.

Yet they are alive and breathing.

SMILE. THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU.

And tomorrow can always be better.

SO TREAD GENTLY.

PLAY IT SAFE.

WALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF WISDOM.