So I had a bit of free time after work today and I’d been meaning to catch the Thai parody-spoof-homage Chai-Lai Angels ever since I heard about it last month. Reviews were blasé to say the least, but I’m kinda glad I did decide to watch it in the end.

For one thing, Agent Lotus (played by Supaksorn Chaimongkol) is gorgeous. Though she doesn’t have the meatiest role or the most memorable of characters, nonetheless, she was a joy to see on the screen. The other two eye candy actresses weren’t exactly my type, with Agent Poy-San (Katesarin Akethawatkul) looking like a poor man’s Shu Qi, and Agent Rose (lead actress Bongkoj Kongmalai) showing Singapore how much sexier Desiree Ann Siahann could have been.

The plot itself is as unbelievable as aliens attacking SMU, but everyone knows the real reasons why they watch the film. And director Poj Arnon does not disappoint in that aspect. With dozens of gratituous shots of the three ‘Angels’ in action while dressed in bikinis, bathrobes, towels and wet clothes, among other costume choices, it was clear that this was the live-action-version of a fantasy that belonged to either a teenage boy or an old perverted man. And me, of course.

I think what made the movie work was that it never once took itself seriously. Sure, the plot seemed to indicate that there was a sense of environmental awareness to the storyline, but it became such a minor plot point that it was forgotten after the third costume change. Odd references to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill II, not to mention the numerous parallels that obviously spoofed Charlie’s Angels, lent some international appeal to the film.

If nothing else, Thailand should be proud that they could make an enjoyable film that is marketable across the globe. Now, I can’t wait for Mercury Man, the first Thai movie superhero.

What an amazing way to end the weekend. Thanks to Greg, who more or less wanted to get as much company to go with him as possible, I attended my first World of Music, Arts and Dance (aka WOMAD) festival at Fort Canning Park.

The Sunday festival got off to a slow start for me because I attended the Asian Short Films Showcase first, after recognising En’s sister and boyfriend as they walked into the festival. It turned out that said boyfriend (aka Rich Ho) was there to participate in a filmmakers’ Q&A, after his 2-year-old short clip The Alien Invasion was shown. The actual turnout was rather good, though the number of people who remained after all three clips were filmed was disappointing. Loved The Alien Invasion though, and I’m looking forward to more from RichManClub Studios.

It was then on to reggae/ska/jazz fusion band T-Bone from Thailand. While I’m a recent convert to ska music thanks to Lily Allen, I wasn’t quite sure if T-Bone were all they were hyped up to be. My worst fears were realised nearing the end of their set, when each member of the band was being introduced and given the opportunity to do a solo, and just FAILED miserably. To me, it just meant that they had no creativity whatsoever, and while they could perform, they just could not improvise.

Of course, the night was saved by the performance put up by Radio Mundial, a Puerto Rican band that just grooved their way into the audience’s hearts. The five-man band combined sheer raw sensuality with God-given talent to set the feet of many of the women (and some men…) dancing.

And then, it was the Grand Finale, where almost every band showcased during the festival returned to blend their music with one another, truly bringing to life the phrase ‘World Music’. Greg and I were more than impressed when the Musafir Gypsies of Rajastan from India had Sam Tshabalala backing them up with their rhythms and Stevie and Jamie Goldsmith playing the digeridoo. And then, music genius broke loose as they were joined by Dulsori, a Korean percussion group. By the time Radio Mundial joined them on stage, I finally relented and made my way down to the dance floor to enjoy this amazing fusion of culture, musical styles and instruments.

It seemed like a blissful eternity, but like all good things, WOMAD 2006 came to an end on a high note, and I was overjoyed to have been a part of it.

… I’m alive but extremely busy. The new school year is insane.

So I had a little bit of time in between errands at work, so I popped by KFC at Bugis Street for lunch. I had been meaning to try their new O.R. Chicken Chop, since they tagged it as such – “Treat Yourself Everyday”. To sum up my experience, it was less “treat” and more “trick”.

It was only after being absolutely disappointed by the visual before me that I noticed, on their tray covers, it carries the phrase “Servings featured are for illustration purposes only”. In other words, “We know it won’t look anything like this, but we can’t advertise the reality”. Needless to say, I should have read the small print.

But let’s dissect that pathetic meal that set me back by $5.95, shall we?

Firstly, the Chicken Chop itself was actually good, and arguably the only innovative thing in the whole meal. The size could do with more of a boost, though. Without the bones, the painful truth that KFC doesn’t serve large portions becomes too obvious to ignore. My chicken chop was no bigger than my fist.

The hyped “Special Mushroom Gravy” turned out to be the same gravy you find in your whipped potato. Not only that, if rumours are to be believed, the gravy is really just the leftover oil after they cook their chicken. Which is disgusting, even by my standards. As for the toadstool cousins, while I wasn’t expecting portobello mushrooms, I was hoping for a little more standard than something even Campbell’s wouldn’t put in their products.

Moving on, the “Delicious Raisin Coleslaw” was revealed to be the regular coleslaw with three or four Sunshine raisins thrown in. No sign of the peas and carrots in the advertisement. It was a huge disappointment. I’ve always liked KFC’s coleslaw, but this was misrepresentation!

And last, but not least, their “Golden Brown Crinkle-Cut Fries” looked more like “Sickly Yellow Wrinkled Fries”. But after all the previous disappointments, this one was easily dismissed. The quantity was as limited as the rest of the meal.

So while I do commend KFC for trying to diversify their menu, adding extra ingredients to an existing meal and removing the bones is NOT the way to do it. Two thumbs down for their latest “effort”.