War & Brotherhood
14th July 2008, Monday
War...who wants it...maybe beside certain American President...
It shouldn't even be used as the last resort to resolve any issues, political or not...
But the innate bestial nature of men often resulted in war and unnecessary killing of fellow mankind...
Personally I am against war as a resolution of problem. per se.
I even hate the fact that military exist at all... if we could all live in peace, I wouldn't have to loath on annual basis of going back for reservist...ok that's a big self-centered again
Over the weekend, had a fair share of watching war been waged in the theater as well as at home...
In "Red Cliff", we were taken to 208 AD to witness an important battle in warring history of China when the ruling Premier of the north, Cao Cao was determined to oust his main preposition to rule the entire China mainland, Sun Quan of Dong Wu and Liu Bei.
I am no "Romance of 3 Kingdom" buff unlike the likes of Chan, but did read up abit before watching this John Woo's flick as well as using my recollection of what I had derived from other mediums like games and TV series to gather information of some of the more famous persona.
The 1st part of the movie (2nd part releasing early next year) built up the intensity of how Cao Cao led him troops southwards to thwart Sun's army and intentions to capture his territories, exterminating Liu Bei at the same time; so when the latter 2 decided to forged an alliance he felt it was God's will going his way.
The actors reprising the role didn't did exceptionally well, Kaneshiro Takeshi received quite a bit of flake when he took on the wise Zhuge Liang but think he did quite well.
Tony Leung was just old in the show while Taiwanese premier supermodel surely is a "vase" which take up precious air time.
The battle scene was nicely choreographed with all the formations and all and I was not surprised if 70% were real extras since China is so populated. But there was surely overdose of how valiant and formidable the celebrated generals were.
There are the Joh Woo signatures stamped all over it such as the white doves and the exaggerated action sequences as well as the emphasis of brotherhood...
On Sunday I witnessed a war of another kind altogether.
In "Band of Brothers", once again the Americans might have over-glorified their role in the 2nd World War as their infantry marched towards Germany to force Hitler and his Nazi regime to end their ploy for world domination.
Well that aside it was a touching tale of how the famous Easy Company of the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division braved it all into Hitler's lair.
In the 10 part HBO mini series, producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg reunited with the crew behind another WWII flick "Saving Private Ryan" to tell this detailed tale of the close brotherhood the men fostered admist adversities.
I was perhaps a good 7 years late to watch the series I borrowed from Chan, it was still a good way to spend the Sunday afternoon though I was quite sick of all the bombing and shell bursting as night falls.
In both instances, it showed that war surely is the bane of mankind and how innocent soldiers had to serve as pawns for the warring parties...
The other epiphany to draw from war is that in a state where you face imminent death, you will truly show your real self to whoever beside you. You have to put full trust in that guy and likewise him to you. A true kinship is forged which we rarely find in our everyday life of luxury and capitalism.
One cold front of it all surely has to be the workplace.
It is undeniable that one can find true friendship at work but at the end of it, it might just be a masquerade for a more sinister purpose... afterall everyone at work might be after the elusive promotion or bonus...
Well it might be just fabricated but there certainly is some truth in it.
My company did try to come up with events to bolster relationships among colleagues such as a friendly bowling competition on Saturday for the 2nd year running.
Forming a team with 3 of my closest colleagues including the new chap, we just hoped we don't end up the last team among the 13 around for that day despite naming ourselves "The Gutters"
In the end HB's virtusoso performance and CH (the new guy at work)'s exemplary 2nd game run plus me trying to make up for all the gutters in the 1st 2 round, see us clocking a decent 984 points after 3 round, still a significant distant from the top team which clinched 1400+ points.
But it was good fun for us to interact for once outside the domain of work.
The real brotherhood for me now would be back to the La Tendo clique.
After a good 2 weeks of preparation and slight anticipation, the entire crew headed down to Fernvale Grove in Sengkang where Ferris & Lisa's little pad is situated on Friday evening.
Beside the main motive of house-warming, we also took the opportunity to celebrate birthdays for the boys of July, Ferris and Bro, EK.
The neighborhood is well desolated in terms of the lack of human activity as it is still a town in infancy stage.
Even in their block, most of the apartments are yet to be occupied.
Miyano was marveled by the sight of a dark field overseeing from their window with no block of flats or other buildings, a sight surely rare in our island so scarce in land.
The 4 room flat despite the shape of the living room is actually quite roomy and easily able to accommodate all 12 of us (especially with me, Chan and Vincent with slightly more mass) and Ferris always had an eye for aestheticism (though not always noteworthy) ensured his place was well furnished to what his financial state could support.
Lisa and Ferris were competent hosts with looking after our gastronomical and entertainment need respectively.
But it was all good-nature fun especially when the couple of Vincent and Miyano were at their squabbling best again (this time on marriage tussles like the decision of placing their TV set at home) while we ribbed Ferris on his weird sense of expenditures like buying a pack of Tarot cards just for the nice art and constant procrastination to work on his endless amount of resin kit with one Tay-chan had solicited from him to do for like 3 years now high on the stack.
Finally the cake-cutting ceremony see EK dripping wax all over the 2 nice Bakerz Inn fruit cakes Karen had bought on our behalf.
So after a good few hours of good food, laughters, admiring their new house, taking wacky pictures and overall jolly-making, we called it a night or morning as it was close to 2 am in the morning by then when we closed yet another chapter in our own version of "band of brothers/sisters".
War...who wants it...maybe beside certain American President...
It shouldn't even be used as the last resort to resolve any issues, political or not...
But the innate bestial nature of men often resulted in war and unnecessary killing of fellow mankind...
Personally I am against war as a resolution of problem. per se.
I even hate the fact that military exist at all... if we could all live in peace, I wouldn't have to loath on annual basis of going back for reservist...ok that's a big self-centered again
Over the weekend, had a fair share of watching war been waged in the theater as well as at home...
In "Red Cliff", we were taken to 208 AD to witness an important battle in warring history of China when the ruling Premier of the north, Cao Cao was determined to oust his main preposition to rule the entire China mainland, Sun Quan of Dong Wu and Liu Bei.
I am no "Romance of 3 Kingdom" buff unlike the likes of Chan, but did read up abit before watching this John Woo's flick as well as using my recollection of what I had derived from other mediums like games and TV series to gather information of some of the more famous persona.
The 1st part of the movie (2nd part releasing early next year) built up the intensity of how Cao Cao led him troops southwards to thwart Sun's army and intentions to capture his territories, exterminating Liu Bei at the same time; so when the latter 2 decided to forged an alliance he felt it was God's will going his way.
The actors reprising the role didn't did exceptionally well, Kaneshiro Takeshi received quite a bit of flake when he took on the wise Zhuge Liang but think he did quite well.
Tony Leung was just old in the show while Taiwanese premier supermodel surely is a "vase" which take up precious air time.
The battle scene was nicely choreographed with all the formations and all and I was not surprised if 70% were real extras since China is so populated. But there was surely overdose of how valiant and formidable the celebrated generals were.
There are the Joh Woo signatures stamped all over it such as the white doves and the exaggerated action sequences as well as the emphasis of brotherhood...
On Sunday I witnessed a war of another kind altogether.
In "Band of Brothers", once again the Americans might have over-glorified their role in the 2nd World War as their infantry marched towards Germany to force Hitler and his Nazi regime to end their ploy for world domination.
Well that aside it was a touching tale of how the famous Easy Company of the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division braved it all into Hitler's lair.
In the 10 part HBO mini series, producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg reunited with the crew behind another WWII flick "Saving Private Ryan" to tell this detailed tale of the close brotherhood the men fostered admist adversities.
I was perhaps a good 7 years late to watch the series I borrowed from Chan, it was still a good way to spend the Sunday afternoon though I was quite sick of all the bombing and shell bursting as night falls.
In both instances, it showed that war surely is the bane of mankind and how innocent soldiers had to serve as pawns for the warring parties...
The other epiphany to draw from war is that in a state where you face imminent death, you will truly show your real self to whoever beside you. You have to put full trust in that guy and likewise him to you. A true kinship is forged which we rarely find in our everyday life of luxury and capitalism.
One cold front of it all surely has to be the workplace.
It is undeniable that one can find true friendship at work but at the end of it, it might just be a masquerade for a more sinister purpose... afterall everyone at work might be after the elusive promotion or bonus...
Well it might be just fabricated but there certainly is some truth in it.
My company did try to come up with events to bolster relationships among colleagues such as a friendly bowling competition on Saturday for the 2nd year running.
Forming a team with 3 of my closest colleagues including the new chap, we just hoped we don't end up the last team among the 13 around for that day despite naming ourselves "The Gutters"
In the end HB's virtusoso performance and CH (the new guy at work)'s exemplary 2nd game run plus me trying to make up for all the gutters in the 1st 2 round, see us clocking a decent 984 points after 3 round, still a significant distant from the top team which clinched 1400+ points.
But it was good fun for us to interact for once outside the domain of work.
The real brotherhood for me now would be back to the La Tendo clique.
After a good 2 weeks of preparation and slight anticipation, the entire crew headed down to Fernvale Grove in Sengkang where Ferris & Lisa's little pad is situated on Friday evening.
Beside the main motive of house-warming, we also took the opportunity to celebrate birthdays for the boys of July, Ferris and Bro, EK.
The neighborhood is well desolated in terms of the lack of human activity as it is still a town in infancy stage.
Even in their block, most of the apartments are yet to be occupied.
Miyano was marveled by the sight of a dark field overseeing from their window with no block of flats or other buildings, a sight surely rare in our island so scarce in land.
The 4 room flat despite the shape of the living room is actually quite roomy and easily able to accommodate all 12 of us (especially with me, Chan and Vincent with slightly more mass) and Ferris always had an eye for aestheticism (though not always noteworthy) ensured his place was well furnished to what his financial state could support.
Lisa and Ferris were competent hosts with looking after our gastronomical and entertainment need respectively.
But it was all good-nature fun especially when the couple of Vincent and Miyano were at their squabbling best again (this time on marriage tussles like the decision of placing their TV set at home) while we ribbed Ferris on his weird sense of expenditures like buying a pack of Tarot cards just for the nice art and constant procrastination to work on his endless amount of resin kit with one Tay-chan had solicited from him to do for like 3 years now high on the stack.
Finally the cake-cutting ceremony see EK dripping wax all over the 2 nice Bakerz Inn fruit cakes Karen had bought on our behalf.
So after a good few hours of good food, laughters, admiring their new house, taking wacky pictures and overall jolly-making, we called it a night or morning as it was close to 2 am in the morning by then when we closed yet another chapter in our own version of "band of brothers/sisters".
My Band of Brothers/Sisters
Japanese word of the day: 大戦~da-i-se-n~(Battle) The only battle I enjoy is Super Robot Taisen
posted by Kei at
2:30 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home