Movie Review: The Beast Stalker

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My Rating: 5Stars

This evening I saw the movie The Beast Stalker at UA Cinema, TimeSquare, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Another late addition to my Must See Movies list.

This was only my second movie (on the big screen) in over 3 weeks. Those who knows me will find this extremely unusual, as some of them say I watch almost anything. Although I disagree, but I used to watch on average 2 – 3 movies a week. That was before I returned to Hong Kong over 10 years ago, now one movie a week was typical. The reason for this recent hiatus was quite simple, I found there were nothing interesting enough to watch.

Until I came across a review of this movie in HK Magazine (Friday, Nov. 28, 2008 issue), which gave it high praises. It had been years since I last watched a Hong Kong made movie and there is really nothing American to watch at the theaters, I decided to give it a try.

Continue reading “Movie Review: The Beast Stalker”

Movie Review: 証人

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My Rating: 5Stars

剛剛睇完《証人》,一散場就叫好…好久都未試過睇完港產片就叫好,上次叫好是睇完《無間道》。

"証人"情節拍得好細緻,好緊湊,前呼後應,睇得出拍得好有Heart,一些都無諗過當觀眾低能,特技效果”正”,每一個演員都是好戲之人,特別係謝霆鋒,張家輝,智叔。未睇套戲之前都聽說影評讚好才去睇,詁唔到真係咁好睇,超水準之作,港產片真是掂的。

Another late addition in Vinko’s Must See Movies list.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it on iTunes
1Stars Waste your time elsewhere

The State of Government

Hong Kong PoliceAre our public officials so scare of doing the wrong thing that they forget what is the right thing to do?

Today in a press conference held by Mr Tang King-Shing, Commissioner of Police in Hong Kong, with regards to the security procedures of the 2008 Olympic (Hong Kong) test equestrian competition. He commented on yesterday’s incident of ironworker demonstrators’ clashing with police in Central district. Where hundreds of demonstrators over powered the police line and ran into the streets blocking traffic, causing a major traffic jam.

He said, “… since there are many citizens disagree with the ironworkers’ actions, he warns that they may be charges to be filed against the ironworkers for their actions…”.

I am totally confused by this statement. Is the “Commissioner of Police” taking into considerations whether the public disagrees with some individuals’ actions before he file charges against these individuals? Why doesn’t the “Commissioner of Police” just use the law as guidelines and file charges accordingly.

Is the “Commissioner of Police” a “politician” or is he a “police officer”?

Does the “Commissioner of Police” imply that Hong Kong Police takes into account public opinions before charges are lay for law violators?

Does it also imply that if a person can kills someone, he is not guilty and will not be charged, as long as the general public “believe that the person killed is justified to be killed”?

What has our society come to where the “head of police” believes that public opinions take president over “The Law”?

Labour Unions

Do you believe in the formation of labour union at work place?

This question is not easy to answer. I believe it is not a clear cut “yes” or “no” answer in most cases. I think labour union has its justifications, while it is also one of the most disruptive establishment at a work place.

One of the most powerful labour union in the world is the “US Auto Union”. They often have labour disagreements with various different auto manufactures (General Motors, Ford, etc.), then as a result a labour strike is often called. In most cases this labour action is decided on by the management of the union; supposedly representing the membership. Although in most cases, the membership are often happy to be working rather than on strike.
Recently in Hong Kong a labour dispute arise between the ironworkers and their employers. This disagreement escalated into a major confrontation between 300+ ironworker demonstrators and the police. The ironworkers overpowered the police line into a main street, Queen’s Road, of Central district. Causing the police at the scene to call for reenforcement. Continue reading “Labour Unions”

Queen’s Pier Stand-off

Queen's Pier

I am currently watching the live broadcast of the police stand-off with the demonstrators at the Queen’s Pier, Central, Hong Kong. The police action started at 11:00 this morning.

They went in to remove the demonstrators holding out at the pier, including the three on hunger strike for the past 100 hours, and 8 demonstrators who were camped out on the roof of the pier.

Police Action #1Police Action #2

For those who do not know about the dispute. You can read more about it in a very up to date Wikipedia entry for the pier.

In short, the Queen’s Pier is an “unofficial” historic site, located in Central district of Hong Kong next to the City Hall, was targeted to be demolished to give way to a transportation project to build a costal highway.

They just removed the last of the demonstrator from the roof of the pier.

Demonstrator #1Demonstrator #2Demonstrator #3

I do agree that the demonstrators should voice their opinions against the demolition of Queen’s Pier, but at the same time, I do not agree with their extended defiant of the police instructions to leave.

We all have the rights to demonstrate and voice our opinions openly, which in this case the HKSAR government and the police allowed the public to do so, even after the deadline (August 1, 2007) to reclaim the property for the contractors.

Exercising our human rights is one thing, but defying the law is another. I do not see the need for the demonstrators to hold onto their positions after the police have ask them to leave. Nor do I agree with the demonstrators who attempt to break the police barricade violently.

The even more ridiculous thing is ATV 24 Hours News station broadcasting the demonstration live from 15:00 onwards until 21:30. Especially when there are many other important news in Hong Kong and elsewhere in the world. I agree that the event at Queen’s Pier is happening live, but the ATV reporters just kept repeating what they had said since 15:00.