[REC]-Record everything...

REC is a Spanish horror film in line with the 'newer', modernized, fast, quick and perhaps even intelligent zombies that have been populating countless zombie flicks in the last 20 years.


REC follows a 2 person TV crew who are filming a night of a Fireman's life at work. What they initially thought would be a boring night soon leads them to joining in on the action as a case sends them to the aid of an old lady who has injured herself in her apartment. Things soon go very wrong when all of them are trapped in the building by the authorities, claiming that a quarantine is in effect due to a suspected viral outbreak.



What places it apart from the rest is it's in your face approach and "docu-drama" style of filming. The film makers apply documentary filming techniques such as using a hand held camera to film the entire movie, allowing the audience to experience a deeper sense of immersion, creating a 'first-hand', you are there effect. This not only greatly accentuates the panic and fear felt by the characters trying to survive but also generates immense tension when in one scene, the camera is dropped on the ground during the characters' desperate struggle to survive a zombie ambush. By providing only brief glimpse of the action, while heightening the fear felt via their screams and shadows sprawled on the building's walls is a chilling experience. The long narrow corridors and compact central spiral staircase of the building further augments the fear of the unknown with the claustrophobic fear that the survivors and YOU, have no where to run...



Like all good horror shows, it is best watched in the middle of the night with the lights dimmed and a lack of noise other that the sounds from the film.



Definitely, a horror flick worth watching for even the most casual of film goers and even more so, for hardcore zombie lovers (like angry grandma on the right).

New Dawn? Or mere rehash? (The Reform Party Rally at Hong Lim Park)

As I stand in the rain, covered in water, cursing under my breath that my shoes are not waterproof, I am greeted by a booming masculine voice. The voice claimed that, for some reason, they could not or would not use the Government built shelter for Public speaking at Hong lim Park.

The speaker thanked us for turning up and showing our conviction for wanting effective change in Singapore. However, he promptly disregarded us by spewing biting words about the Government's ineptness without offering much believable solutions. He ranted about the sad fact that Singaporeans will probably have to work till they die due to the increased retirement age (from 62-65)and that our CPF money will be near depleted due to payments made to mortgages, education for our children and etc. Is it really a bad thing to allow us to use our CPF to pay for such necessities? It is our money after all and at least we are allowed to use it to pay for some of our essential needs rather than merely leaving it to rot in some "government" vault ( since many Singaporeans probably will die before retirement thus forfeiting whatever remains).

He continued to speak on the possibility of making all Singaporean Citizens shareholders of the Singapore Government's Investment Arm(s), thereby allowing all of us to share in Singapore's success. It sounds like a potentially good idea (better than the periodic payouts nearing election time)but I wished that he could have elaborated more on that small glimmer of light that almost salvaged his speech.

There were other better ideas fielded too, by a young budding lady lawyer whose name I could not hear as my buddy and I have retreated to the nearby shelter to avoid the terrible rain. She proposed catering free legal advice to people classified as low income wage earners, to aid them in better understanding their rights and defend themselves in an increasing litigious society. Although such services have been provided at Community Centers and on the Grassroots level, it is usually done at a less formal and ad hoc manner.

Last but not least the final speaker spoke about the minimum wage scheme and other issues that we could not hear due to the heavy downpour and our failing interest in the rally. I am no expert but I do at least expect people who dare to raise such issues in public to back their claims with factual data, rather that rely on stirring up public emotions with angry words directed at a dispassionate ruling party