THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

This reviewer is not a great fan of Spielberg or Cruise, at least not when they work together; Minority Report was overblown. But this second joint venture is nothing less than amazing. Both men have worked hard to make something extraordinary from the H. G. Wells novel (1898).
Cruise puts his all into the role of Ray Ferrier, a nobody, and worse still, an incompetent father. Incompetent he may be, but he clearly loves his children, and as such will do whatever it takes to keep them alive.
Spielberg deserves credit too, and not just for modernizing the source material with the latest CGI technology [far superior to the Best Special Effect Oscar-winning version by Byron Haskin (1953)]. He’s also added a new subtext. In the novel, Wells used aliens to represent the way rich countries impose their ways on the poor. In this version, the aliens appear to represent global terrorists.
Spielberg has thrown in elements from disaster, alien invasion, survival, and road movies. It all adds up to a very dark film in which destruction is all too near, and flight appears the only means of survival. Underlying the work is a sense of agoraphobia, implying that the only real safety is not to be found in numbers.
Amblin Entertainment

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

Four animals from the New York Zoo -- a zebra, a zealous lion, a hypochondriac giraffe and a fat female hippo – somehow end up on the island of Madagascar, where life is a struggle to survive the constant attacks from predators.That struggle is mirrored in this latest animated work from DreamWorks SKG Animation studios, which if this film is any indication, may not survive at all. Of late, the creative minds at Dreamworks seem to have lost inspiration, replacing it with formulaic mass production. If Shrek was as fresh as they come, then Shark Tale and Madagascar are as tired as it gets.
The recipe is as follows: gather a few disparate characters, but not so disparate that young audiences will lose interest, put them in an exotic environment, add a few tired jokes and clichés, throw in a pop soundtrack and hire some big name stars to dub the voices. Then call it entertainment. Which is not to say Madagascar fails completely. If you’re in the mood for cute, then you might just enjoy this film. And if you hail from New York, well, Madagascar is peppered with in jokes.
Indeed, the film’s ‘humor’ relies heavily on the idea of anthropomorphic New York yuppies getting out of the Big Apple and retuning to the wild. Which come to think of it, may not be such a bad idea.
DreamWorks Animation

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

If you’re over 30, you’ve probably hummed along to one of Duran Duran’s undeniably catchy hits. Back in 1978, Brits John Taylor and Nick Rhodes founded a band blending vibes from the Sex Pistols, David Bowie and Blondie into a kind of groovy/New Romantic/New Wave/dance music.
With three main strengths – great synthesizer hooks, unforgettable live performances and spellbinding music videos – the boys have been topping the charts for nearly three decades. By 2000, this band had sold 60 million records and had a long, long list of number one hits. However, the numbers don’t do justice to their affect on the global (read US) conscious.
In the late 1980s, for instance, during the Panama conflict, the US Army employed the band’s “Hungry like the Wolf” in its arsenal of psychological weaponry. In 2004, on NASA’s second mission to Mars in search of life, the space agency woke the crew each spacey morning with “Is There Something I Should Know.”
Sadly, Greatest samples just 18 of the ‘The Fab Fives’ outstanding opus, though god be thanked, it includes, three massive classics. “Wild Boys” (1984), written especially for video, “A View to a Kill” (1985), the theme song for the eponymous James-Bond movie (and the only 007 theme song to hit number one in the US charts) and “Rio”, an ultra-catchy tune from the eponymous album (1982). You can’t forget the addictive intro – mesmerizing repetitive synth and cutting guitar riffs. By the way, in 2003, “Rio” was listed by UK magazine NME as one of the Top 100 “Greatest Albums of All Time.”
You may start humming now.
EMI

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

Is the down under TV soap Neighbours simply a platform to launch Aussie pop singers? Consider this: the career of international singing sensation Kylie Minogue was birthed from the cheesy womb of the TV show and pop-singer Detta Goodrem is about to duplicate that dubious feat. Following on the success of her celebrated debut, Innocent Eyes, Goodrem’s Mistaken Identity shifts gears for the international market, though not at the expense of Ozzie fans – the new release has gone five times platinum in Kangaroo country.
The new Goodrem sound owes not a little to Celine Dion, albeit with a bit more spice and delivered in a more attractive package. And the world seems to like it; the singer/songwriter has already enchanted millions of British and Australian listeners. She’s also making headway in the difficult to crack US market -- Billboard declared Goodrem 2005’s Best New Artist and hails her as a “tigress of talent.”True, talent flows from the 14 commercial-pop tracks.
Mistaken Identity rests nicely on melodic hooks, Goodrem’s radiant vocals and thoughtful lyrics. Indeed, some of the songs are based on Goodrem’s recent, successful struggle against lymphatic cancer. If more proof of quality is needed, her collaborator on this CD is Guy Chambers, the British songwriter/producer behind most of Robbie Williams’ best tunes. Chambers has a knack for writing instant hits, check out: “Out of The Blue,” “The Analyst,” “Miscommunication,” or “You Are My Rock,” all of which are stand-out best tracks.
Sony Music

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

In the last 15 years, one-man band Moby, the stage name of 40-year-old New Yorker Richard Melville Hall, has done it all. He’s gone from punk (with the Vatican Commandos) to electronic music (in the widest possible sense) and onto hard rock; he’s covered his favorite film scores in the release I Like To Score; he’s played keyboards, guitars, bass and drums; he’s sampled, remixed and produced; he’s gone on a strict vegan diet; he saw the Twin Towers collapse on his birthday. And last but not least he’s fustigated the Bush administration and criticized Eminem!
After six albums, including two huge international sellers, 18 and Play, the man has a new CD, Hotel, that collects all these experiences. And more.
Well, not really. Carefully crafted, this highly anticipated release does deliver all the ingredients that brought him to fame; electronic compositions, synthesizer wonders, attractive female backup vocals, hypnotic samples and more catchy tunes than you can shake a bottom at. “Lift Me Up”, for example, is prime stuff. But something rankles. An obviously skilled and creative musical artist, Moby breaks no new ground. Perhaps the result of having already done it all.
EMI

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

Once upon a time five Dubliners dreamt of California (or rather the California sound, mid-60s to mid-70s). They practiced for two years, called themselves The Thrills and then their dream came true in the form of a four-month holiday in a San Diego-beach hut.
Back in Ireland, they turned West-Coast vibes into their debut album So Much for the City, part California sunshine, part country rock and part Beach Boys. Also part Phil Spector, Morrissey and The Smiths. The whole result is almost greater than the parts. These guys are good, so good that Moz asked The Thrills open his gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London in September 2002.
More than a year later, the band followed up with Let’s Bottle Bohemia, filled with shiny, catchy pop tracks, and plenty of that Californian feelin’ in the beat of each of the ten songs.
Whether this particular sound thrills you or not, is beside the point. Let’s Bottle Bohemia is a fun 35-minute trip to the sunny West-Coast beaches. Enjoy the ride!
EMI

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

A Chinese-Canadian, Denise Chong tells a touching autobiographical story through three generations on two continents. The Concubine’s Children traces the story of her maternal grandmother, May-ying, who was sold at the age of seventeen as a concubine to Chan Sam, an immigrant who left his family in China in search of wealth in Vancouver’s early Chinatown. May-ying lived out her life as a tea house waitress -- her wages used to support and build a house for Chan Sam’s family back in China. Eventually, she slid into a life of alcohol and became a single mother whose strict yet negligent ways were used to raise Chong’s mother, Hing, in Canada.
However, the book is more than the sum of distant memories -- it documents the changes of the Chinese community abroad, the slow process of acceptance by white communities in North America, as well as China’s turbulent history in the twentieth century. In revealing the mysteries of her family’s past, Chong adds a very human dimension to the role of the Chinese in history, both here and abroad.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Book courtesy Penguin Group Canada
September 2005 issue

http://wwww.talktalkchina.com

Talktalkchina.com’s three writers -- DD (Hong Kong), Dan (Shanghai) and Dawanr (Beijing) – offer entertaining, acerbic commentary on contemporary life in China. This non-commercial site features a blog on everyday topics such as ‘happy’ families, English proficiency, Dashan or the “Laowai Death Stare” and other topics near and dear to your heart. And all in a good cause: the stimulation of lively, intelligent debate between Chinese and non-Chinese. Love and Peace, brothers!

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

http://www.expatauction.com

Online shopping is a profitable, and highly addictive, practice in the West, but purchasing over the Internet in China is still something of a risky business. Indeed, oftentimes sending electronic payment online is the equivalent of throwing your money away. No more. Shanghai expatriates and locals alike can finally relax, Expatauction.com allows browsers to buy and sell through private auctions or partner with web stores.Categories range from home accessories (hardly used Ikea lamp, anyone?) to antiques (a Qing Dynasty desk from Jiangsu province), and just about everything in between: clothing, books, collectibles, movies, computers, jewelry, music, business, recreation and games, you name it.
Targeting local and worldwide customers, the site, cohosted by that’s Shanghai, offers both feedback and rating options, in other words the very essence of trust-based transactions, if we do say so ourselves. So what does Expatauction.com offer that you can’t find on Ebay.com? Well, the website and its partners provide free home or office delivery (within the Shanghai Inner Ring Road), factory warranties, authenticity certificates (for antiques and art) and even a seven-day return policy for some products, as well as auction-based, localized classifieds for Shanghai and English product information. Japanese and German versions are coming soon.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
September 2005 issue

French fashion-design houses have always been ruled by strong-minded and creative individuals including Coco Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld and the likes. Nelly Biche de Bere is no exception and may soon find her name among this prestigious list. Combining artistic aptitude and a strong entrepreneurship spirit, Biche de Bere's designs are creating an international roar that is currently rumbling through the Middle Kingdom.

"China is a bit like the US 30 years ago" says Biche de Bere. "At that time, there was this same kind of energy, which I find here to be 10 times stronger." In 2003, she set up a fashion boutique in Shanghai and a workshop in Xinzhuang. "I always have been fascinated by Shanghai. There is an incredible energy."

Biche de Bere's own energy has been her primary strength in making a name for herself. After 10 years in the US and another 10 in Europe to develop her business, Biche de Bere is now in Asia for yet another decade, with Shanghai as her headquarters. Her company has set a foot in four continents and reports a current world-sales turnover of US$19 millions. In late 2004, she received the Pierre Cardin "Best French Designer in China" award in Beijing and currently dresses Chinese stars Mimi Sun, Anna Wang, Lu Yi and Jane Zhang. For another feather in her oh-so-fashionable cap, this year the French business magazine L'Expansion named Biche de Bere one of France's five most influential business owners.

"She is full of energy" says Shanghai-based communication assistant Vivian Dong. "[Biche de Bere] is a woman with a strong character, if she has a goal, she will simply do it."
But achievement isn't possible without a tad of luck and loads of talent and ambition. After graduation, Biche de Bere left France for New York to pursue the American dream. Already pragmatic and business orientated, Biche de Bere sold her "anti-atomic shelters" thesis to the France Ministry of Defense to finance her departure in 1985. She fought her way up the New York fashion ladder by creating evening jewelry from recycled materials, which led to a surprise 30,000 piece order and a full-time career.

Returning to Europe in 1993 with her husband and associate Christophe Cais, she launched the Biche de Bere Company, specializing in jewelry and ready-to-wear collections for women. They've since diversified into kids, men and couture lines, as well as sportswear, house linens and general design. The company currently employs 350 personal, owns two factories in France and delivers 15 collections a year. This is what you'd call productive, creative and successful. Born in Brittany, a French region where traditions are highly valued, Biche de Bere graduated in industrial design. This influence is clearly seen in her creations which combine traditional style with modern techniques. Such concepts have successfully attracted American and European women in the past and are whipping Chinese into a frenzy since the move to Shanghai a year and a half ago. "I am fascinated by China, because it is a place so different, with a huge history" she says. "But despite this, the country has a strong desire to come into the third millennium at full speed."

Dressing women of the new millennium - to enhance each female's individuality - is her prime motivation. "There is certainly a common point between all women," explains Biche de Bere. "They want to feel pretty, to satisfy themselves and others when dressing." But the Biche de Bere brand aims to take fashion past the basics by using unique fabric, color and style combinations, leading to their motto: "Difference is that wonderful thing that we all have in common."

Weekly cocktail parties are held every Friday at the Xintiandi boutique, among displays of Biche de Bere's new collections. For those not lucky enough to live in mainland China's fashion mecca, check out Biche de Bere's line at www.bichedebere.com.

(c) City Weekend, national edition
Editor: Lydia Holden
Photo courtesy Biche de Bere
September 1-15, 2005 issue

http://www.storewars.org

"Not long ago, in a supermarket not so far away…"
In May 2005, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) launched this online Star Wars movie spoof to attract a new generation of organic-food consumers. The five-minute animated mini-feature has vegetables in fancy dress posing as organic rebels. Meet Cuke Skywalker, Princess Lettuce, Chewbroccoli, Ham Solo and Darth Tader! Produced by Free Range Studios, this a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies and a great tool for the OTA to encourage global sustainability through promoting and protecting the growth of diverse organic trade.
If you liked this one, you'll love The Meatrix (www.themeatrix.com).

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

http://aventurinaking.blog.com/beijing/
Nineteen-year-old Aventurina King knows what it's like to experience rejection. Like most writers, she’s had work rejected by publishers and felt the frustration (and money concerns) that are part and parcel of a young writer's struggle for recognition.
Her New York-based blog (though the author resides in Beijing) provides a showcase for her work. And good work it is. King's unpretentious, sympathetic tales examine life in China, including the culture gap, changing lifestyles, food, entertainment and street life. Her witty and eloquent daily comments provide site visitors with a cool insight into life and the capital and, of course, a window of the French/American writer to attract a publisher.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

http://www.jitterbug.com/origins/index.html

This mini-site from the online entertainment magazine, Jitterbug Fantasia, explores the possible origins of Star Wars phenomena. Playfully compiled by Kristen Brennan, the site offers a selection of original material that may have inspired George Lucas to create the series, including the serial Flash Gordon, Kurosawa movies, the Lord of the Rings, Dune, 2001: Space Odyssey, Ben-Hur, The Wizard of Oz and so forth.
Brennan attempts to explain how Lucas borrowed from these diverse sources with "such intelligence, insight and compassion" to create his enormously successful series. Brennan isn't accusing Lucas of plagiarism, rather she offers an insightful look at the how the creative process works.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Belgium may be a small country, but it's big on talent. Like Benoit Franquet, a master of musical composition, who's delivered a 24-carat debut with "Zero Gold".
Immersed in classical music from an early age, Franquet has become one of the leader's of house and techno music. He's wrote a number of early club anthems at his own studio, including 'I'll Be Right Here" and "Angel". Later, he signed with the respected UK label Bedrock Music and released another hit single "Apollo Vibes" under the pseudonym Pole Folder. After 18 months in production, Franquet released his first full album of material, Zero Gold in May 2005 which was immediately boosted by DJs round the globe.
Distributed in China by Hinote Records, this release is far more that the usual sequencer sounds and beats. "Zero and Gold represent two human fears," says Franquet, "which characterize the main theme of the album. Human fears govern our acts more than our own desires."
Zero Gold is a mix of electronic music, pop, atmospheric melodies and the human voice. Several tracks ("Before It All Changes" and "Fall In Violet") are clearly influenced by film. "When I was younger," Franquet says, "I was composing for imaginary movies. This vision of the music is strong in me and this feeling came naturally during the creative process."
In the studio, Franquet starts with the drum track, later adding melody with a bass line and pads. Then he wraps the music with mental elements, "the mainstream melodic atmosphere is present but the psychedelic side makes it special, and allows listeners to feel the music on different levels."
And feel it you will. This CD is richly rewarding, whatever camp you're in.
Asks Franquet: "Is this a psychedelic pop album or a progressive electronic album. I let you choose."

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Shanghai Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

For a decade now, British clubbers have been dancing to the punkoid soul of duo Basement Jaxx. Make no mistake, when Brixton natives Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliff gig, they're hands on: hands on funky guitars, keyboards, drums, computer and decks. The wonder is that they could fit this explosion of good vibes and exhilarating energy, the essence of the Jaxx live experience, on one compilation.
the singles features 15 studio tracks culled from their three UK Top 5 albums: Remedy, Rooty and Kish Kash with all the big hit: "Romeo," "Red Alert," "Oh My Gosh," "Bingo Bango" plus their new single, "U Don't Know Me."
If we had to come up with one word to describe the Jaxx style, it would have to be "collage". The band's brand of audio-visual art, from CD covers to poster designs to website (check out basementjaxx.co.uk) combines, well, you name it. So does their music, a patchwork of soul, punk, Motown, electro, Latin funk, samba and house, not necessarily in that order. Adding to the monstrous assortment of beats are guest vocals by KeLe Le Roc, Lisa Kekaula and Glamma Kid among others.
2005 Grammy Award winners for Best Electronic/Dance Album Kish Kash, Basement Jaxx are currently touring the UK. Book your flight now!

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue