Criminal: UK

This is one mind-blowingly top-quality crime drama ever produced in the history, in my opinion.

Criminal: UK is part of the Criminal franchise on Netflix. Like all UK drama, it is fairly short and compact with only 3 to 4 episodes per season. Criminal:UK is about a team of trained specialists that are expert in psychology who attempt to get information from otherwise extremely uncooperative suspects to solve crimes that ordinary police couldn't. This is a psychology-themed series. The entire show is set only within the interview/interrogation room, the hallway outside the room and the elevator. That's it. Throughout the 46 minutes of an episode, it's just talking between the interrogator and the suspect and the lawyers. There are no actions, no labs, nothing. Just talking.

But it's how simplistic this show is that's fascinating. Just characters talking to each other in a confined room, and yet you'll find yourself very absorbed and 46 minutes would fly back quickly without your noticing. The series focuses on psychology and the character's raw emotions (which must be eulogised and should earn them many awards) to deliver the content and power, and that's how this show is so special. It's good. It's really good. You very rarely can find a show that could do this - just characters sitting down and not moving and you'll still be engaged.

The psychology is awesome. The narrative is awesome. The acting is awesome. The show itself is pure jem. If you like crime drama, give this show a try - it's a different breed, but you'll hardly be disappointed. Unless you like an action kind, then this is not your cup of tea. But give it a try, it's good. It's really good.

The Contractor

I first saw the poster of this movie in Marymount MRT, I then did an online search and found out this is a movie about an involuntarily discharged army becoming a private contractor to foot the expenditure of his family. I've been hesitating for days whether this is worth the movie ticket to watch in the cinema, but in the end, I decided I deserve a treat so I bought a 9.50pm ticket on a weekday night to watch. Well, as the trailer honestly revealed, things went awry and he rebelled and became the target of the mission instead. 

Come to think of it, if I were to relook at the trailer and the plot of the story, this is, as the name of the movie suggests, a movie about 'the contractor'. It's not a thriller or suspense movie, it's not even an action-packed movie. The trailer of the movie or the synopsis released never suggested that the protagonist uncovered some sinister plot; nor was it anywhere mentioned a betrayal of any kind. 

This is a movie about 'the contractor'. I repeat. This is a movie about 'the contractor'. It's not a primarily thriller or action film, it's a story about 'the contractor'. The movie started off slow, but once he picked up the private contract, it picked up a little pace, but it sadly tapered off after the Berlin chase which then led to a not-very-surprising reveal and a quite anti-climatic ending.

Overall, I kinda enjoy the movie and the story, but I guess I went to watch it with too high an expectation so I am a bit disappointed. There could have been a lot more action/combat scenes. Seriously, the combat in this movie is sorely lacking, which is why I said this is not an action movie. This is a movie that relies heavily on Chris Pine's handsome face to sell because the focus is really entirely on his character. 

I would rate it 6/10 for what I consider extreme lack of action scene that's unbecoming of a film in this genre, but give it a little generously above average mark because of Chris Pine's performance and the details - the camouflage, the escape details, the dodging etc - seem pretty meticulous. This might be a forgettable film for many. For me, it's just alright. Don't expect it to be anything like James Bond or Jason Bourne, and you might enjoy it.

Covid-19

 So recently I just contracted covid-19! 

It started with Saturday, since morning I felt a very unusually scratchy throat but I had no other symptoms. And because I'm a sufferer from the unfortunately evil hayfever, a scratchy throat isn't terribly too uncommon for me so I thought it was a result of my sinus allergy which did blow up the night before. I bought a peppermint honey tea and went out for a walk as usual. Then, at night, there was a sudden flare up of fever and headache, and I suspected it was covid-19. Quickly, I did an ART, which yielded negative result. I thus presumed it was my allergy acting out again, so I used my nasal spray, took one Telfast, went to sleep, and thankfully I woke up the next day much better, except again with a persistent scratchy throat but not as scratchy as the day before.

I thought it wasn't anything, so I resumed my normal activities and I even went to Labrador Park for a breeze.

The next day was Monday. I still had a scratchy throat though it had become milder. But other than that, I had no indication whatsoever I was otherwise ill. So I went to office, bought a sandwich, ate in the office maskless, and attended a meeting. After the virtual meeting, I wanted to take off my mask, but I was thinking, hey, there's a covid kit in front of me, and I had a scratchy throat, why not just be safe? So I did the test.

And safe it was.

Looked at it, the fluid wasn't done flowing the strip and the T line had appeared, indicating very strong virus presence.

I texted my boss, packed my stuff speedily and hightailed it to the clinic. I was extremely nervous and guilty because I was already in the office for an hour plus. I could feel the stare and confusion in the others' eyes when I was rushing to leave, and my messages blew up on the way to the clinic.

Thanks, guy for the concern, and sorry for the risk.

Anyway, I went to the clinic and I told the nurse I tested positive on a rapid test. She told me it was a two hours wait and then rather nonchalantly told me to 'go eat first'. Ya, you heard right. I was momentarily stunned too, but yes that's what the nurse told me.

I returned to my home instead, which was nearby. I visited a nearer clinic rather than the usual I went to because this was the closest I could go without taking public transport and it was a very shiny 11am Monday morning. I returned an hour and a half later, and yet I still needed to wait for almost an hour. I didn't expect I needed to wait this long more so I went without a bottle of water and nastily my throat began to irritate more and more. No choice, I went down to the supermarket and grabbed a bottle of peppermint honey tea again and went back to resume the wait. Oops. Sorry, not my intention to be a superspreader there's no vending machine nearby I had no choice!

Anyway, when I met the doctor and told him I had only a mild dry and scratchy throat, he took a peek into my throat and said 'not so bad'. As I had no other symptoms, I guessed he became wary and sceptical than I did contract covid-19, and began to ask whether I did the test properly and whether I waited too long to see the lines appeared, to which I replied no and I took a photo. He did the swab for me himself, and as expected, it yielded positive result.

I was given 5 days MC so basically one week off. Yay.

But for me, covid-19 was better than a flu. I had only a scratchy throat, and it wasn't enough sore enough to stop me from eating chilli. On the second day though I had a bout of incredibly intolerable runny nose, but upon realising that the mucous looked unusually white and watery I then suspected it wasn't covid-19 but rather my allergy, so I deployed my nasal spray again and I got an instant relief - I suffered half a day for a symptom I mistaken as covid-19. But, on the same day, I did experience extreme fatigue - I literally slept half a day. I left my bed and my head hurt like hell, so I just resumed sleeping and I slept till the evening. It's 16 hours plus in total.

But on the third day onwards I had become rather symptomless. The scratchy throat had begun to fade though still present, I had no more runny or blocked nose, but I did suffer a very mild throat irritation that caused some cough but it was surreptitious rather than persistent. So I fully utilised my MC and spent all the time watching all the shows and reading all the books I wanted.

The most painful experience had got to be the home quarantine. Singapore mandated that anybody who tested positive must self-isolate for at least 72 hours, after that the patient might self-test with an ART and if they got a negative result, they could exit self-isolation; but if the results continue to be positive, they should resume self-isolation until Day 7, which they were allowed to leave even if they still tested positive.

The self-isolation was rather torturous. I had a landlord and housemate so I had to be careful not to expose them to the virus, so I largely confined myself to my room and if needed to, I wore a mask outside my room. I had to rely entirely on delivery, which was incredibly expensive and set my budget back a hundred dollars this month. My aunty graciously brought me a lunch one day together with fruits and soothing drinks, while my landlord was very kind enough to cook me a meal for a number of days, for which I am eternally grateful.

Covid-19, for me, was not a very serious disease, but the toll on the mind was large. The self-isolation was quite bad, and I tested negative only one day 6, so I had been confined to my room for 6 days. Upon getting my negative result, I danced for a minute, and I straight leapt out, took in a few deep breaths of fresh air, and went to buy my groceries. It's extremely sweet to be outside and free again.

Do What You Want By Lady Gaga Ft. R.Kelly (Lyrics With Music)

As one of the comments in the video said, 'we must protect this problematic classic at all cost'.

If you don't know what happens, basically this is a song Lady Gaga collaborated with R.Kelly in 2016, and was a big hit and critically acclaimed. But R.Kelly got embroiled in many sex scandals and was convicted and remain incarcerated today, so Lady Gaga regretted working with a sex predator and so had this song pulled from all platforms so that R.Kelly can't earn a single cent from this collaboration.

Well, if the aim is to deprive R.Kelly from legally earning money from this work, I guess a pirated version works. I mean, I'm sorry, but this version is way, way much more superior than the one with Cristina Aguilera.

American Horror Story, Season 1

 Ya, ya, I'm again a decade late.

Anyway, I just recently watched this series, and it blew my mind! Okay, I thought it would be much more sinister and scary, but turns out the show didn't focus on the origin but rather what the spirits do to the occupants. Which is fine, although I would have loved knowing what causes the house to be haunted to begin with. There are about 13 episodes, but each of them is good. Not exactly anthological, but each episode has its own story arc that is fascinating. I'm a bit disappointed to know they die in the house and haunt away any potential buyers though - sounds a bit of a stretch, other spirits might deter them from doing so? 

Anyway, lovely show. Finished in 3 days. Rating: 9/10

Midnight Mass

 This is a very Christian-themed show, which I wasn't aware of before I started watching.

The first episode began with Riley Fylnn killing a girl while driving intoxicated, briefly showing him in jail, and quickly proceed to showing him returning to the island he came from.

I thought he thus plays a very pivotal role in the series, but as it turns out he isn't the main character. Just a side character that is given unjustified screentime.

But that's fine. It's just a peculiar introduction.

The series role focuses on the father claiming to be replacing Monsignor Pruitt temporarily while he was incapacitated on the mainland. Then, as the series goes on, more sinister elements began to surface, until a vampire/angel appears, and until Bev that b*tch gets on my nerve.

I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed this show. As a non-Christian, the Christianity elements in this show bore and confound me. Then the religious fervour of a town to such questionable fault is disturbing. Then, we have a sheriff who is a Muslim, an odd one out amongst the town population, and his son whose faith was shaken and began to drift away from Islam to Christianity.

The show has some good elements - the return of the kids to his faith after being led astray is extremely admirable. Bev shows how delusional some religious fanatics can be, and while Monsignor Pruitt was responsible for bringing the devil to the island, he was also one of those who righteously attempted to put an end to it. 

Overall, quite an okay show.