TRAVEL TO PLACES: SINGAPORE-- JEWEL SOUTH GATEWAY GARDEN

My Personal Experience: I went to Jewel South Gateway Garden at Singapore Changi Airport last August 5, 2022, together with my sister. We went there after seeing The Rain Vortex to cap up the night before dining at one of the restaurant around the vicinity while taking photos along! Love the triangular glass panels there specially when it reflected a dark sky it brings elegance:)

Jewel South Gateway Garden

Jewel's South Gateway Garden is the closest spot that you can get to for a photo of the iconic Changi Control Tower! And with its statuesque palm trees and triangular shaped glass panels on the facade, the garden is also the perfect backdrop for that memorable photo! Have you taken any photos here before? Share with us if you've, and remember to tag us too! 📸 #Jewel

Source: https://www.facebook.com/jewels-south-gateway-garden-is-the-closest-spot/

TRAVEL TO MOVIES: SWALLOW

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Cast: Niyola, Deyemi Okanlawon, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha , Kunle Afolayan , Mercy Aigbe , Eniola Badmus , Omotunde Adebowale David , Kevin Ikeduba , Ijeoma Grace Agu , Bala Bello

Plot: A naive secretary whom after a series of career woes, considers her roommate's offer to work as a drug mule in mid-1980s Lagos. Waylaid by life's pressures in 1980s Lagos, Nigeria, Tolani becomes involved in drug smuggling with her streetwise friend and must face the fallout.

Source: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/swallow_2021

My Movie Review: The movie is gritty and bit chaotic it takes patience when you watch this kind of story to find the hidden gem towards the end one may feel nonsense but come through! The main themes about drug pill to swallow by the women who want to escape the poverty and change their destiny one whose bent in line of survival can do everything seem impossible! Swallow is a Nigerian drama set in capital city Lagos of the 1980s, two women room together in a dilapidated apartment, both working as assistants in the bank. Rose (Ijeoma Grace Agu) is regularly abused by her lecherous boss. When she talks back to him, he fires her. He replaces her with Rose's roommate Tolani (Niyola) and the abuse begins anew. Out of money, Rose throws herself at OC, a mysterious man tossing around cash at the market. He buys her nice things and assumed they're having sex, although there's no visual indication of it. In exchange, he expects her to swallow wrapped-up drugs and smuggle them into various international cities. Tolani is struggling with Sanwo, a hopeless boyfriend she doesn't seem to respect! They've been together for years but he won't marry her until he's financially established and, since he doesn't have a job, likely the prospects for nuptials aren't good. Tolani condemns the hypocrisy of the Christian church, the unfairness of her workplace, the idiocy of her boyfriend when he's scammed out of the money she lent him, and other annoyances it's choice take turn!

Critics Reviews: Swallow brings its characters and 1980s Lagos to life, and asks the central question: how far will you go to get by, while keeping your dignity intact? A haunting mini drama... The subjects in Swallow would make anyone cry -- poverty, sexual harassment, drug dealing, systemic corruption -- but the movie and all the characters are flat and emotionless! People are either talking loudly or in a monotone, but nothing feels real, nothing seems to come from the heart. Perhaps it's because so many in the cast are non-actors. The result is two hours of valuable material oppression of the poor, downwardly-mobile lives, religions taking advantage of rather than helping the needy wasted in drama-less social drama. Scenes dribble on far too long. Logic eludes most of the characters. The one theme that emerges -- far too late -- is that the film's most intelligent character finds her voice and finally starts to call it as she sees it. Perhaps the English subtitles are translated badly. Perhaps the cultural habits and customs of Lagos in the 1980s cannot be understood by Americans of the 2020s. But one thing is sure -- the movie doesn't get interesting or even seem to reflect any kind of emotional truth until a good 85 minutes in. The last 45 seem the most real, but it would be hard to imagine an audience sticking with this that long- families can talk about how the movie talks about poverty!

Source: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/swallow-0

TRAVEL TO PLACES: SINGAPORE-- THE RAIN VORTEX

My Personal Experience: I went to The Rain Vortex at Jewel Singapore Changi Airport during night time last August 5, 2022, together with my sister. We went there to take a closer look at Light & Sound Show that really surprise us with the variety of colors it produce to the waterfall as we're leaving unexpected harmonies drawn us back-in feast to the eyes & feels to the core:)

The Rain Vortex

HSBC is the proud sponsor of the HSBC Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. Come marvel at the stunning display of water cascading down 7 storeys at the heart of Jewel! The Marvel-- Stunning By Night-- When the sky outside darkens, the continuous pour of the HSBC Rain Vortex takes on a mystic splendour. Come nightfall, the sheet of water becomes a Light & Sound Show. Relax or sit at one of the many vantage points surrounding it and enjoy the show!

Source: https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/en/attractions/rain-vortex.html

TRAVEL TO MOVIES: THE GUILTY

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal , Riley Keough , Peter Sarsgaard , Christina Vidal , David Castañeda , Ethan Hawke , Edi Patterson , Paul Dano , Adrian Martinez , Eli Goree , Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Plot: The film takes place over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch call center. Call operator Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) tries to save a caller in grave danger-but he soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and facing the truth is the only way out.

Source: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_guilty_2021

My Movie Review: The movie is a tour de force for Jake Gyllenhaal, who again proves what a magnificent talent and his great actor doing intense scenes in isolated area and limited space! As The Guilty is about a demoted police officer assigned to a call dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a kidnapped woman with her daughter in too! The Guilty's tension is just enough to send you climbing back to your seats to know what will happen next as you relentlessly clambering though largely identical to the original, is catnip to Gyllenhaal, into whose tortured eyes who's very impressive, but “The Guilty” almost certainly would have been more effective if he'd dialed down the intensity a bit could have so better! The Guilty is riveting, with a strong moral worldview based on the Christian, biblical premise that the truth will set you free, but it's marred by excessive foul language and disturbing violence! Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Joe Baylor, who works for the 911 Communications Center for the Los Angeles Police Department- gaunt troubled officer with a failed marriage and failing health! The movie was entertaining to me, and not only because of a well-written storyline, but most certainly also because of a stellar performance put on by lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal. And also the plot twist was rather enjoyable. He then calls Emily's home phone number, speaking to her young daughter Abby. She tells him- her mom was taken by that her ex-husband Henry Fisher!

Critics Consensus: The Guilty is another Americanized remake overshadowed the original, but its premise is still sturdy enough to support a tense, well-acted thriller. Does just enough to keep you engaged but nothing more. Gyllenhaal works hard to make Baylor a more conflicted character. Yet in humanizing him the film also reduces an institutional failing into an individual one. I felt more caught up in the situation here...we stay engaged and enjoying the story... If you come to this Netflix remake first, you are going to be blown away by a hurricane-force performance from Gyllenhaal. Nails the setup, but there's still the matter of generating a tight enough plot to justify Jake Gyllenhaal's grand efforts. And that's where the picture runs into trouble. Fans of the original will feel like they have been put on hold listening to the same piece of music on a 90 minute loop but for new audiences, this is an edge-of-your-seat thriller than you won’t want to hang up on. Gyllenhaal's best performance since his phenomenal turn in Nightcrawler. Fuqua does add some interesting touches, setting his movie to the backdrop of the California wildfires. But no matter how hard the film tries, it’s never able to muster the same intensity or humanity as its Danish inspiration. The adaption itself however does fail to make convincing argument for its existence. {Gyllenhaal's} unhinged turn that you can practically see mental come apart at the seams. One of his best. The rare Hollywood remake that get's it right!

Source: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_guilty_2021

TRAVEL TO PLACES: SINGAPORE-- JEWEL IN THE NIGHT

My Personal Experience: I went to Jewel In The Night at Singapore Changi Airport last year August 5, 2022, together with my sister. We went there to spend my first friday night on a bang! Jewel In The Night is glowing with different hues on light creating moods that make the visit worth your time by the way it's my first time in Jewel so make the most by taking as many pics!!

Jewel In The Night

Jewel takes ‘plenty to see and do’ to a whole new level — ten to be exact. Rising five storeys above ground and five below, Jewel is home to a myriad of breathtaking attractions, over 280 retail and dining outlets and more than a few ‘world-firsts’. Take a look for yourself. Canopy Bridge- Suspended 23-metres above ground with a glass bottom at the centre portion for a gripping vantage point, the Canopy Bridge is sure to thrill and impress. Shiseido Forest Valley- Explore four storeys, five including the ground of lush greenery between shopping and dining stop, make discovery date with nature. One of the largest indoor plants collection in Singapore, housing over 2,000 trees and more than 100,000 shrubs, plant species from around the world:)

Source: https://au.changiairport.com/jewel/

TRAVEL TO MOVIES: SOUNDS👍LOVE

Director: Juana Macías

Cast: María Valverde , Álex González , Ignacio Montes , Elisabet Casanovas , Claudia Galán , Susana Abaitua , Eva Ugarte , Carlo Costanzia , Artur Busquets , Roger Berruezo , Miri- Pérez

Plot: At 30-years-old, Maca is wasting her talent, but two of her friends, Jimena and Adriana, make everything possible in Madrid. Everything seems to be going well, until Leo, her biggest love and her biggest mistake, comes back into her life.

Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11698662/

My Movie Review: The movie is such raunchy and sweet but does not meet any expectations put forward by the viewers and critics most especially who expect a well-written doesn't deliver! Sounds Like Love is very charming in the teaser trailer I don't know what happened to the actual movie figuratively and literally very forgettable there's no remarkable scene to remember so let me refresh your memory on what really went down and why the execution fail to impress! The story focus on Maca, a clumsy 30 year-old who lives in Madrid, is stuck as an assistant for an oppressive and terrifying fashion influencer, wasting her talent and spending most of her time with men with whom she never manages to establish an emotional bond. Together with her two unique and loveable friends, Jimena and Adriana, Maca endeavours to make the most of life and happiness, despite her dead-end job, making almost everything possible. All seems to be going well until Maca's ex Leo returns to her life, flipping her almost perfect life upside down. Leo was the biggest mistake of Maca's life, the man who tore her heart apart obliterated her self-esteem and her faith in men. Maca had forgotten all about him, but now she has to accept that he has suddenly come back into her life and she must face those emotions that she has repressed for so long, dealing with the ex who choose career over love is recipe for disaster that's why this doesn't work despite the efforts still can't leave his job they should tried!

Critic Reviews: Skillful filmmaking and good intentions can't overcome botch story that simply crashes! Sounds Like Love is not getting love it exude it's sounds like the critics isn't loving it! This Spanish film has the look and feel of yet another Sex and the City knock-off, but with less of the exuberance or charm. While the cast does their best, Sounds Like Love suffers from an aimless script, lackluster central romance, and overlong runtime. After a point, undermining conventions become tiresome and overall flow of the film feels like it is looking for a redemptive arc that never comes. Elisabet Casanovas is a zany delight as Maca’s offbeat best friend Jimena. Whether she’s stripping down to try to seduce her chiropractor or shoving churros in her best friend’s face after a tough night, she brings a special little sparkle to every scene, perfectly filling the kooky BFF role and tossing in some extra emotional nuance to boot. Sounds Like Love is a great example of a well-intentioned, poorly executed adaptation. Based on the best-selling Spanish book series Canciones y Recuerdos by Elísabet Benavent, the film had plenty of story to tell. The problem with trying to cram all that story into one film, however, is that it winds up feeling simultaneously rushed and overlong, an unfocused attempt at juggling three stories that the film doesn’t quite know how to prioritize or doesn't have clear act!

Source: https://decider.com/2021/09/29/sounds-like-love-netflix-review/

TRAVEL TO PLACES: SINGAPORE-- HELLO, CHANGI PRECINCT

My Personal Experience: I went to Hello, Changi Precinct within Changi Airport at Terminal 3 last year August 5, 2022, together with my sister who follows by her husband and my nephew:) Hello, Changi Precinct is their perfect promotion for family bonding taking photos and posing along every corner of this colorful theme set-up and you might find yourself awhile in Lalaland:)

Hello, Changi Precinct

Singapore’s gateway to the world has stepped up the promotion of its Changi Precinct, which it hopes will prove a big hit with passengers wishing to explore and have fun as traffic numbers begin to rise again after the global pandemic. The new ‘Hello, Changi Precinct’ gallery in the Terminal 3 is essentially designed to drive awareness of Changi Precinct, which includes areas surrounding Changi Airport such Pulau Ubin, Pasir Ris, Tampines, Bedok and East Coast Park!

Source: https://airport-world.com/new-interactive-gallery-promote-attractions-changi-precinct/