Ervin’s

New Year’s Eve.

That one day in the year when it feels, more than any other, like just another day.

It does – for me at least. No deep reflection, no brainstorming of New Year resolutions, no profound epiphanies, and certainly no regrets – not more than any of the past 364 days anyway.

I’m at least thankful that it’s a beautiful day, this 31st day of December 2007. Sunny enough for me to spend a lazy hour by the pool, 40 minutes in the gym (not that the weather matters much here, although I swear the weights feel heavier when it rains outside), and just cloudy and cool enough for me to hang at my favourite Thomson Plaza alfresco Starbucks for a couple of wasteful hours as I write this closing entry for the year.

And I’m pretty sure tomorrow will be the same as today – I’ll be doing things that should have been done yesterday; making plans that always seem too far ahead to plan properly for; trying to give the day more focus only to realise that in my trying the day has quietly sneaked away.

Tomorrow my room will still be work-in-progress after a year of organising; my old guitar at the corner will still appear brand new even though the strings are now covered by a layer of bronze dust; and my 7 year-old cat will still look ageless even as she sleeps far longer then ever before.

What will be different tomorrow, if I party right tonight, is that I’d be much more chemically imbalanced than today.

Happy New Year.

I really should be updating my blog more often now that I’m not working (kind of). Thing is – the more time you spend at home, the less things there are to observe and make useless commentaries on. And if you read this blog from time to time, you’d realise that it ain’t exactly about progressive discourse on existentialism.

Not that I didn’t get out occasionally. For the first 2 weeks of my hiatus (more shall be revealed on what’s going on in my professional life in the coming weeks), I was the resident wi-fi parasite in many a Starbucks, milking the $5.60 grande latte for all its worth. Spinelli arguably has the better espresso (and the trendier crowd), though that usually means a trip into town, complete with day-time parking rates and ERP. As for Coffee Bean – they’re OK but  something about using sundae glasses for coffee and having to report my name to the order taker like it’s prison duty that don’t sit quite well with me. I’m touchy like that.

Spinelli @ Hereen

Overall, these couple of weeks have been a lively concoction of leisurely shopping, sobering reflection, resurgent exercise and sprightly parties. One night I even ended up at a house party thrown by gay men which was rather entertaining I must say. To be precise and to avoid any confusion, I wasn’t there by design but followed some friends from an earlier party (not that gay men are dangerous of course – that would be frightening).

An odd image seared into my mind from that night was that of a recent acquaintance (who was rather gay and drunk) berating the house terrier’s genitalia as the poor puppy stared back at her verbal assailant with no recourse.  I’m not sure if that qualifies as animal abuse, but straight or gay, you must have the personality of a tea spoon to not find it funny (especially if you yourself are on the far side of tipsy).

If there’s any sense of  unaccomplishment during this period it’s the lack of writing progress  on my project. Yes, that sweeping, cathartic, emotional juggernaut of a screenplay that would be Singapore’s answer to Ghibli. Nope, it’s not quite coming together yet but dammit, it will happen.

As the festive season approaches its finale, I’m happy to report that I’m still chemically balanced. While my liver should survive safely through Christmas, New Year’s Eve is a whole other snowball.

Merry X’mas, real and imaginary readers!

 

  

4 years ago, I went to a small local animation festival and saw a 25-minute short film done entirely by one person on his Power Mac G4.

By the end of that viewing of Voices of a Distant Star - the project that launched Makoto Shinkai into the anime world’s consciousness – there was a sense of having seen something special that resonated for days after. I’ve been following Shinkai’s career ever since, eagerly awaiting his next piece of work.

Voices of a Distant Star (2002)

It’s strangely difficult to describe the films of Makoto Shinkai. The easy way is to say that they are possibly the most gorgeous animated films you will ever see.

The funny thing is, there is surprisingly little animation in his films if one takes a closer look. But Shinkai infuses every image with such luster and detail, the economy of his animation only serves to accentuate the power and beauty of each frame.

The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

At once otherworldly and ultra-real, Shinkai’s work is an ethereal alchemy of mood, music and utter melancholy. Themes of separation and loneliness are ever present, and while there is hardly a cheer, there is almost a quiescent joy in the depression.

5 Centimeter Per Second (that’s apparently the speed of cherry blossom falling – beat that for a lyrical title) is probably Shinkai’s best film yet. I first saw it in March this year during the Tokyo Anime Fair, when Shinkai’s producer told me to go see it even though there were obviously no English subtitles.

So I did (free ticket anyway). It’s stayed with me since and I fought the urge to see it again on YouTube where fans have already subtitled it, hoping instead that it would be brought in for this year’s Animation Nation in all its 35mm glory (which of course happened).

5 Centimeter per Second (2007)

Animation is not a genre – it’s an art form. At the moment I can’t find a better proponent of that argument than Shinkai. Like reading a short, sad story on a train that clings on to you long after you’ve left the station, the films of Makoto Shinkai may not make you leap for joy, but they linger in your memory like treasures from life itself.

Selected Works:

She and Her Cat (彼女と彼女の猫, Kanojo to Kanojo no neko)
Voices of a Distant Star (ほしのこえ, Hoshi no Koe)
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (雲のむこう、約束の場所, Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho)
5 Centimeter per Second (秒速５センチメートル, Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru)