Donnie Yen’s The Prosecutor Review

Really good action-packed martial arts movies had been scarce. Imagine my excitement when I stumbled across Donnie Yen’s The Prosecutor trailer. The fight scenes were of exceptional quality, meticulously choreographed and executed with authenticity.

I was a little worried during the opening sequence. It was a drug bust but it was filmed in a way that it looked like a first person shooter game. It was a relief that this type of scenes were limited to only a few sequences. After watching the movie, I can safely tell you that I was totally on the edge of my seat during the action scenes, but the plot could have been more engaging. Although based on a true story and there were some emotional scenes sprinkled here and there, the rest of the story was not very memorable.

For a few quick bucks, a teenager agreed to let some drug mules use his address for their smuggling activities. Down on his luck, it was not surprising that the police were tipped off and he got arrested. Worse, he was tricked by his own lawyers into pleading guilty. In comes the protagonist played by Donnie Yen - a former cop who decided to leave the force and joined the Department of Justice as a prosecutor.

Sensing injustice, he decided to investigate and the rest of the story became predictable after this. Thankfully, there was hardly a dull moment. The cast was stacked with seasoned actors, so you can bet the acting was top-notch. You will root for the heroes and hate the villains so much you wish they got their ass kicked. And Donnie Yen delivers on that wish with his incredible fighting skills.

It is really difficult NOT to recommend this movie unless you really have something against good kung fu movies or you might have some young ones tagging along. Otherwise, I’d say, go watch this one!

Artificial Intelligence Suggestions to My Twitter Reply

I was replying to this tweet (I apologise for still calling it a tweet)… and I couldn’t quite get my sentence right.

On a dream holiday with perfect weather, accompanied by loved ones.

— IonBuck (@IonBuck) January 5, 2025

So what the heck, let’s get help from Apple Intelligence. Here are the results:

Rewrite version:

On a dream holiday with perfect weather and loved ones by my side.

Concise version:

Dream holiday with perfect weather and loved ones.

Professional version:

During an idyllic vacation with ideal weather conditions and the presence of cherished companions,

The friendly version turned up the same. Yay!

Disney's Mufasa - The Lion King Concise Review

When I first heard of this prequel to Disney’s The Lion King (originally an animated movie turned live-action), I was not too optimistic about the potential success of it. I mean, what would become of a movie about Simba’s father who, in the original movie, was killed off? And after watching both the animated and live-action movies of the same story, why would I want to watch another live-action one about lions?

Well, as it turned out, I did watch it. Not because I was ecstatic over it but more of a family outing instead during this holiday season (bravo, Disney, you released this movie during one of the most strategic times!). And so, I entered the cinema with low expectations (after checking out the Rotten Tomatoes' rating in advance, which was rotten at 55% at the time of writing).

I expected the CGI to be spectacular, and Mufasa did not disappoint. This is as good as it gets with photorealistic animals. I am no expert in this field, but the animals moved and looked so real I could not distinguish if they were 100% CGI or the real deal. It was this good. There is nothing much to comment on acting because there were no real actors on-screen, but the voice acting is what you can come to expect from Disney— superb.

This is the story of Mufasa, a future king that got separated from his parents in a flood but saved by Taka, the would-be king of another pride of lions. This is the story of their destiny. It did not matter if you had watched the original The Lion King or not because the story is your standard fare of brotherhood turned sour. Do not expect any twists or surprises. Instead, just go to the cinema and watch it for what it is — a spectacular visual feast with animals (yay, no humans!) that Disney hoped will be enough to carry the movie until the end.

If you are looking for a movie with depth, you might be disappointed. However, if you are looking for some holiday entertainment and family fun time, especially if you are bringing your little ones, Mufasa will satisfy.

Quick Take On Children of Time Series

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series (or trilogy? Not sure if there is any indication that it’s meant to be a trilogy considering the open-ended conclusion in the third book so I am just going to call it a series. The following are thoughts based on the first three published books) is no lean meat but a massive dystopia science fiction that sees humans leaving a devastated Earth in search of life elsewhere through terraforming. Completing all three books will take a significant amount of time but I am proud to say I have done it!

The first book can be read as a standalone, whilst the second and third have references to the previous books.

The first, Children of Time, where the series got its namesake, is a refreshing take on terraforming where humans share the same limelight and play protagonists together with arachnids.

The second book, Children of Ruin, pretty much reminds us of the first but this time with octopuses. Things do spice up and there is a touch of horror in the second half when another entity appears…

Children of Memory, wrapping up the series for now, however, starts off just fine but the storytelling style that moves forward (now) and backwards (recently) in the timeline makes it (although intentional) confusing. While the first two books feel epic, the third instalment reminds me of an episode of Star Trek. It did not feel quite like a saga. I would refer to it as more of a novella or a 2.5 of the second book instead of being a third book except that it is a super duper novel by itself.

The Children of Time series makes a good read especially the first two books. Keeping up the momentum is no mean feat. Although the third book does not measure up to its siblings, it still makes for a good read, especially if you want to complete the series.

The Glass Half Full/Empty/Something Else

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I found myself in the mood to snap a photo and post it on Instagram together with some silly captions...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adrian Tan (@ionbuck)

Writing Prompt “Try the prawns…”

My first writing prompt for you, whoever you are:

“Try the prawns. Let me know if they’re fresh.”

“Prawns? What prawns? I don’t see any prawns.”

Thoughts: Your Name

Ever since watching Weathering with You a couple of years ago in the cinema, I've been trying to look for the movie that it was linked to, Your Name. It received massive success during its time, three years ago in 2016 before Weathering with You. Alas, I finally found it through streaming service Netflix.

I've not been able to find time to watch it until three hours ago. The anime movie starts off simple enough in a complicated way. The beginning reveals it was built on the body swapping storyline that most of us have come across time and again. It does not attempt to hide the fact that it will eventually build up to a climatic romance but it is interesting to learn that the movie has a really unexpected twist to it.

The animation is top notch Japanese anime and it has great visuals incorporating a suburban town and an apocalyptic event that involves a comet. It is a great two hours spent on watching this movie that is magical in its own way.

#Onward, My #Soul

I rarely miss any Pixar movies but the pandemic left me little choice. Cinemas are closed most of the time, what more with a recent resurgence of the COVID-19 virus with new variants. I have missed Onward, Soul and the recent Luca (for some reason, I have also skipped Inside Out and hope to watch it soon). Fortunately, Disney+ has just become available in my part of the world in the form of Disney+ Hotstar. Since then, I have managed to play catch-up with Onward which stars the voices of Marvel superheroes Tom Holland and Chris Pratt; and Soul voiced by Jamie Fox.

Set in a fantasy world of elves, wizards, manticore, and other mystical sentient beings, Onward explores the tale of two elven brothers’ misadventures in their quest to correct a spell gone wrong so that they can spend the day (or what is left of it) with their deceased father. This world has lost its magic in the name of development and modernisation, something we can all relate to. This is a neat premise that I would love to explore if I ever become a writer.

The younger sibling, Ian (Holland) is obsessed to meet his father because he was too little when his dad passed away. Unfortunately, while casting a spell to bring him back, something went awry - only the legs appeared, so Ian sets off to find a way to bring his father back as a whole. Inadvertently, his bumbling brother, Barley (Pratt) joins the party. Initially more trouble than help, you can expect Barley to play a significant role in the movie.

Meanwhile, Soul brings us back to Earth where a struggling music teacher, Joe (Foxx), lands a gig of a lifetime to play opposite his jazz idol, only to, literally, fall dead moments later. He becomes a spirit who refuses to accept his fate and vows to return to his body. In the afterlife, he impersonates a mentor tasked to prep a soul for life on Earth. The fun part is, this is a pessimistic soul filled with so much negativity about being human that it has overstayed its due. So the two makes a deal - when the soul is ready, it is supposed to switch places with Joe so that he can return to Earth while the soul remains.

So it is going to be a win-win situation right? Of course not. As with everything that happens in our lives, some things go wrong and some things turn out fine. This is the premise of the movie.

Told in true Pixar fashion, both movies make great family entertainment with important life lessons weaved into the storylines. The animation is always top-notch with fabulous palettes and gentle doses of cuteness. On top of that, the voice talents bring the characters to life and then some. Although I have lots of great things to say about these movies, they do tend to fall into typical and predictable territories. Despite that, the movies have enough elements in them to keep the audience rooted in their seats. Highly recommended for the whole family. The adults will find it just as appealing as the kids.

History Lesson - Flash Fiction

Happy new year! A flash fiction I thought of when I came across the phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword". This short is just to explore today's society that hardly holds up a pen. Instead, most people just swipe and touch type on their touchscreen phones. Probably in another few more decades, the pen (and pencil) will disappear altogether...

A very passionate history teacher was emphasising on the importance of learning from past mistakes.

“Many wars were waged by egoistic men who knew nothing more than violence but, throughout history, as I will demonstrate to you, many battles can be won, or even avoided, minus the brawls.”

He reached into his inside jacket pocket and took out a pen.

“‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ I want this legendary phrase to sink into your minds,” the teacher brandished his pen in the air.

There was a momentary silence as everyone tried to grasp the significance of the last few minutes. All of a sudden, the crowd of young students burst out laughing in unison. When the laughter died down, everyone returned to their phones and tablets, swiping expertly with their fingers. Only a minor few appeared to write down some notes on their digital devices with a stylus. There were even fewer who jot something down on paper notebooks with a pen.

The history teacher stood puzzled as the bell rang to signify the end of class.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will continue to pursue my cause to eliminate violence, he thought.

End.

Rise of Anthologies

Do The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories and Alfred Hitchcock Presents ring any bells? These are some of the anthologies that I can remember watching on television. While compilations of short stories are not uncommon in literature, these collections are rather rare when it comes to television compared to the billions of series out there. I wouldn’t have thought any more of them had it not been for Netflix. I’ve spent half of my recent Netflix moments watching Black Mirror. Just a week ago, I’ve discovered another anthology of (mostly) animated shorts called Love, Death + Robots.

Both Black Mirror and Love, Death + Robots tell stories that are just as unique and artistic as the older anthologies. However, as society becomes more open in this Information Age, the contents are much more mature. The stories can be controversial and taboo in more conservative countries. Even the following trailer for Love, Death + Robots comes with a mature content warning!

For better or worse, new unrelated stories and new actors come with each episode. Sometimes they are great, sometimes mediocre and sometimes downright terrible. Every person’s mileage varies because it comes down to personal preferences but I'm sure everyone will welcome a breath of fresh air from long-running serials that will leave you suffocating with a cliffhanger at the end of a season.

I’ve completed the first series (3 episodes) and the first episode of the fifth series (also 3 episodes) of Black Mirror (you can find the list of the episodes on Wikipedia. The anthology uses mature themes to emphasise the consequences of (misusing) technology. Hence, the title Black Mirror which actually means the blank TV/monitor screen when it’s turned off.

For example, the first episode tells the tale of humanity’s focus on television. The British Prime Minister was to perform sexual intercourse on a pig on live television in exchange for the release of a kidnapped princess. She was already released before the PM was due to start broadcasting but nobody noticed because they were all glued to the television.

Meanwhile, other worthwhile anthologies that are currently on TV are The Twilight Zone reboot which is on CBS All Access and Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories is on Apple TV+ streaming service. Enjoy!

1Q84 Omnibus - All the way through

I reached midway after a month plus of reading this really thick collection of all three novels by Haruki Murakami. You can read my thoughts here. The story revolves around two main characters, Aomame and Tengo. The plot is set in the midst of mystical Little People and a cult. Somehow, it all happens in a world with two moons. Murakami never fails to remind his readers of this and many other details. On the plus side, it’s impossible to forget all the important parts so there is no need to backtrack (I love this because I’m always forgetful of who does what). On the other hand, the book gets swelled up to more than one thousand three hundred pages. I can’t be sure which is thicker, this omnibus or a brick.

Halfway through, the readers are exposed to a romance that spans decades and there is a possible resolution but everyone worth his/her salt would know this is going to drag on till the end.

As the story progresses, Murakami introduces what appears to be an antagonist in the form of an investigator in book two and then increased his presence to the alternating chapters between Aomame and Tengo in book three. As he brings the excitement up a notch at the end of book two, Murakami does his repetitive, mundane thing again to slow the pace.

Despite all these, 1Q84 is a unique story where Murakami’s characters weave mystical plots out of thin air (pun intended). The world is strange but at the same time, projects the kind of realism that we could relate to.

I also love how Murakami adds a subplot about a desperate and irritating NHK fee collector. He manages to inject some humour into this at the beginning of the final book in a rather smart way... and then turned the whole thing into something creepy. A nice touch.

At the end of the day, it takes quite a bit of perseverance to appreciate this book. If you are looking for something unusual with some romance, mystery, and mysticism all mixed in, this could be the book for you... provided you have the time and patience to go through a thousand and three hundred plus pages.

Caution! Not for those looking for fast-paced action and kids should stay away because of some intimate scenes.

1Q84 Omnibus - Half way there

This book by Haruki Murakami is an omnibus of all three novels. Its thickness was overwhelming but the challenge is on! I shall finish this book no matter what. It had been over a month now and I am only halfway through. That’s 645 pages.

The chapters alternate between the story’s two protagonists, Aomame and Tengo. It took almost the whole of the first book to introduce them and set up the plot. Aomame is a gym instructor that maroons as a dark justice-type of assassin who kills despicable men while Tengo is a teacher-cum-maths prodigy trying to make a break as a fiction writer. The first half peeks into their lives and weaves a plot where they get mixed up in a world with two moons, mysterious Little People and a religious cult at the heart of it.

Things only started to pick up after some chapters into the second book. Haruki Murakami’s writing is full of superfluous details and repetitions. Sometimes I get tired of it and doze off. There were a couple of times when I fell asleep and dropped the book, waking up the whole household. Fortunately, at midway, things started to get interesting. It was also at midway that I breathed a sigh of relief knowing I had managed this far and now that it is getting exciting, I have reasons to march on to complete the rest of the book.

All the mysterious built up in the early chapters are starting to unravel such as a mysterious teenage girl that seemed to run away from the cult, the elusive Little People that were mentioned every so often and how Aomame and Tengo are related and what part do they really play in this strange story. So far, the author is taking his time but the revelations are slowly building up to a crescendo… hopefully.

Terminator: Dark Fate Review

The Terminator franchise has gone a long way, that is, in terms of its original and complicated alternate timelines, and the number of movies and TV series it generated. IMHO, the whole series is in a mess. The original Terminator and its direct sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, were technological advances during their time that awed the audience even though they both worked on similar premises - the future is ruled by machines (which today we like to term them as artificial intelligence) which sent a Terminator back in time to prevent the existence of the human resistance leader. Subsequent films and TV series took this to newer, more confusing levels.

Therefore, there is no surprise here that the original creator James Cameron attempts to bring it full circle and make Terminator: Dark Fate a sequel to Judgement Day and not a continuation of the convoluted timeline. Dark Fate has all the action sequences and special effects we come to expect from the Terminator series. Unfortunately, it no longer impresses on the visual effects department because even the worse movies feature good enough computer-generated graphics these days. The only way it could retain enough interest is a strong storyline and bring in high profile actors to build on its existing (dwindling) fan base. Although it’s great to see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton return, there is not much new material to work on. The plot is too similar to the prequels.

Backed by the pioneers, it is obvious the introduction of younger actors means the change of guards and another attempt to extend the rather stale franchise. Being an action movie, there is little avenue to build on the acting but this is expected. The action sequences are quite engrossing for the first half but as the film builds to its climax, I felt tired of the repetitiveness. Without any strong elements to support it, I would say this is a mediocre, albeit high profile and high budget film.

It also poses the same questions that never had clear answers - why send only one advanced robot (I used to think the noun “robot” is lame until I started reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series) to kill the protagonist that is bound to change the future? Why the resistance of the future send only one of them to protect the victim? Why can’t the bad guys just send the terminator into a more strategic time to kill off the victim? Of course, a simple answer would be “There won’t be much of a movie if these questions are answered, would it?” XD

Long story short, Dark Fate is a combination of the original Terminator and Judgement Day wrapped in a modernised package with a brilliant touch of feminism... and of course yet another effort to expand the franchise.

Writer's Tools

You know, I hardly write or draw with any of the tools below anymore. These days, most things are accomplished with the keyboard or touch screen. Unfortunately, this turns out to be detrimental to our well-being. Here's something I found online if you want to know more about why physical writing is beneficial compared to modern day tools: Bring Back Handwriting: It’s Good for Your Brain.

The original sketch (top right corner) was done with pencil on paper when I was procrastinating. I extended my stalling session by digitalising it on the iPad Air with Apple Pencil using my favourite app - Paper by WeTransfer. You can find a coloured version here.

“Let’s” or “Lets”

Looking at this title, I was pretty sure that there is no such word as “lets” but I was wrong. A quick search from Grammarly blog cleared all my doubts and queries about these two words. They both originate from the same verb “let” but their usage differs.

“Let’s” is the contraction of “let us” which is something like how “I’m” is the short form of “I am”. It is used when the speaker wants to suggest him/her and at least another person to do something together. Some examples:

• Great weather! Let’s go for a jog.
• Let’s visit Larry tonight.
• I doubt he’s telling us everything. Let’s shadow him to find out the truth.

Now that we’re clear about the usage of “let’s”, we shall take a look at “lets”. It is the third-person present tense of the verb “let”. It is used as a singular verb “to allow” or “to grant”. For example:

• If Jonathan lets her go, he will lose her forever.
• Besides being a place to read, the library lets others do their work without being disturbed.
• Having produced the complete documentation, the customs officer lets the immigrant through the gate.

Hope the above clarifies the usage of both homophones. Let’s not forget how to apply them correctly, all right?

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Grammarly is both a website and a keyboard app that helps verify and correct English usage. The basic functions are free while there are more comprehensive features that require monthly/annual subscriptions. It’s easy to use. Try the free features by clicking on the banner below.

It is “all right” to be “alright”, is it not?

Are there any differences between “all right” and “alright”? Can they be used interchangeably? According to Dictionary.com, they mean the same except “all right” is the formal standard while “alright” is not. If you want to use the single word, it should only be utilised in a dialogue.

You will find that Grammarly blog and the YouTube video from Miriam-Webster below concur with more elaborate explanations.

I will not be surprised if one day "alright" will be accepted officially. However, at the moment the English teacher (or anyone else concerned with proper English use) will not be pleased with its usage. Ultimately, in most situations, it is quite “all right” to use “alright”, especially in modern context unless you are being graded.

Review: Educated by Tara Westover

A number one New York Times bestseller, Educated is a memoir about the author, Tara Westover’s life from the days when she was part of a secluded family. It’s about the many hurdles she had to face in her journey for a better educated life.

The book is divided into three parts. The first serves as an introduction to her life with her conservative Mormon family. Her father is a staunch believer in Mormonism and constantly has suspicions of government conspiracies. The family were never allowed to go to school nor to hospital for any treatment despite severe injuries. Several bad accidents almost killed them. Things only went south as one after another sibling left the house for work and education. The situation turned ugly as one of her brothers became abusive. Tara lived in denial and constantly in conflict with her own feelings until a few more bad incidents triggered her to leave and get herself educated. These feelings soon turned into guilt.


Part two details Tara’s life as she starts her formal education. I doubt most of us could even think of the uphill tasks she faced because she had never gone to school and yet she took her first bold steps beginning immediately at college level. Her struggles at college was challenged every step of the way by course work, friends/classmates that could never understand her situation, and worst of all, troubles at home continued to haunt her both psychologically and physically.

While Tara drowned in despair and sorrow, and all hope seemed lost, opportunities knocked and she found her self-confidence through encouragement from people who see her for what she is.

Part three is where Tara begins her new life as she tried to settle down and earn her diploma and later her doctorate. Life was starting to improve until her troubled past, which was her family, caught up with her once more. Once again her life was in shambles. She finally broke down but can she pick herself up again?

This is my first memoir so I couldn’t attest to any prior experience but I found it to be a very interesting read. The author’s life and issues she faced were not typical day-to-day encounters. It’s also about courage and perseverance. After I’ve finished the book, I realised how important education is but it’s not only for a better future. To get educated also means to know, understand and live a better life.

Review: David and Goliath - Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

I’ve just finished my second Malcolm Gladwell book (my first was The Tipping Point) and I’ve become a fan. My next book by this profound author would most likely be Blink but that is another story for another time.

David and Goliath defies the obvious just as how David killed Goliath. For the uninitiated, the story of the titular characters go way back. You can read more about it here but the gist of it is about an apparently weak shepherd called David (compared to the warrior he was going to defeat) that won the fight with a gigantic Goliath. In the process he saved a civilisation. 

The book serves as a reminder that the obvious life we live is in fact, not what it seems. For example, without thinking, most of us would agree that the smaller a class, the better the learning for the children but is it? After reading this book, I’m more cautious about highly reputable academic institutions that market their small classes this way.

*** The post continues after the break ***

The book is about how, in the face of seemingly impossible obstacles, some individuals will rise above all and triumph.

It explores the world where the undesirable can be turned to an advantage and how a disadvantage becomes the inspiration to the winning formula. You won’t know what I’m talking about until you read the book.

Every chapter is filled with a real life example so that the reader can relate to it. David and Goliath contains more twists and surprises than even the best thrillers! It’s books like this that slowly converts me from a fiction fan to a non-fiction bookworm so if you’ve not read this, do yourself a favour and get a copy!

Review: Batman Ninja

This review of Batman Ninja seems timely as we celebrate eighty years of Batman. The Caped Crusader first appeared on 30 March 1939. Recently, I streamed the animated feature on Netflix.

After a time machine mishap, Batman ends up in feudal Japan with Gotham’s most dangerous criminals - there’s no way the story guys would miss out arch nemesis Joker and Penguin in something like this. We will find out later, Batman’s faithful butler Alfred, Catwoman, Robin and gang are also transported to this timeline. Sounds just like another good versus evil Batman movie-length cartoon doesn’t it? That is, until the surprises start to trickle in.

The bad guys arrived earlier in time than Batman and managed to become warlords and establish their own clans. It is only for sure that the already chaotic era becomes a bigger mess with this bunch’s meddling. Thus, begins the quest for Batman’s gang to right what was wrong whilst finding their way back to their own time. Naturally, there will be setbacks and betrayals along the way as the movie progresses.

The Batman Ninja version that I watched was in Japanese. The feature has all the characteristics and exaggeration unique to Japanese anime. The creative team even threw in some over the top giant robots that can combine to become an even bigger one. One can look forward to the climactic fight scenes. Coupled with some good storytelling, Batman Ninja is an experiment that just works.

As media consumption becomes readily accessible, quirky ideas like Batman Ninja are a welcome addition to the mundane styles that are common every where.

#LongLiveTheBat

Review: Enchantment - The Art or Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions

I bought this book many years back at the annual Big Bad Wolf book sale. I had no idea what enchantment (the action of positively changing people’s perception towards the reader and his/her product/business) was when I got it (see why I decided to get it anyway below). I’ve only read it recently as I start to clear my backlog of unread books (I love reading but abandoned the hobby until slightly more than a year ago when I restarted).

I love the book from the very beginning (I guess you can say I was enchanted right from the start) because:

1. It was written in simple, easy to understand English so that I did not need to keep searching the dictionary.
2. The sub-sections are short but straight to the point and concise. I don’t feel burdened or bored by a long chapter.
3. Because of the above points, it’s easy to put down and resume afterwards.
4. There are various examples of real life success stories at the end of each chapter.

Seasoned readers of business books may find the contents too simple. However, for a beginner like me, I find this to be a really good introduction to the art of enchantment. This book is also very relevant to our day to day lives. We could make good friends and have happy bosses if we keep the points in mind.

While at it, the author emphasised the importance of being genuine and do good. Never do unto others what you don’t want done unto you.

Overall, after finishing the book, I would say it serves as a great starting point whilst still very readable for the seasoned practitioners. It will work well as a quick reference guide, too, should you need to go back and look for some pointers.

* Guy, if you ever come across this obscure blog post, I bought this book because:

1. Someone suggested to follow your tweets but I can’t remember who did the recommendation, sorry.
2. The cover looks really nice.
3. The cover states the books is a  “New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller..”
4. The book was on sale.