Subtle, not profound

Castaway It’s ambitious and daring by Hollywood standards, but Castaway doesn’t push itself too far beyond what you would expect from a film featuring mainstream stars Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt. Chuck Noland (Hanks) is a troubleshooter for FedEx, and his life is run almost desperately by the clock. It’s high-pressure, day-in, day-out, as he…

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The horror of sequels

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Of course it’s going to be difficult to follow up with something as good as the original $30,000 Blair Witch Project, but it must have been even harder to consciously make it this bad. Were other forces at work? The $10 million sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,…

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Chan puts the moves into movies

The Accidental Spy There’s just something about Jackie Chan’s graceful moves that make any movie of his worth watching. The balletic kicks, the perfectly-executed somersaults and the inventive use of the most mundane of things – from medical equipment to doorways to straw brooms – are simply breathtaking. These are action scenes worth watching. Jackie…

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Limited entertainment

Vertical Limit Goddammit, it takes a long time to die on a snowy mountain. And this movie reflects that rather well. Despite an opening that’s very clearly set in a studio, there are some later scenes of the Himalayas that just might make audiences understand what it is that makes westerners repeatedly spend the GDPs…

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Where to do yoga in Bangkok

Although the history of yoga stretches back some 5,000 years, in Bangkok yoga has been taught formally for only around 40 years – rather surprising if you consider that some scholars assert that yoga practice is central to Buddhism. There are many different styles of yoga, with the main differences stemming from what component is…

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The benefits of yoga

Do you sometimes feel like you’re operating at half-speed? Are you stressed out? Or perhaps you’re feeling like you just don’t get enough exercise, but the thought of working out at a gym utterly bores you to tears. Practising the ancient art of yoga can not only help with various health problems, it can also…

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Are skin whiteners safe?

It’s difficult to avoid seeing those advertisements for skin whiteners plastered across billboards, those images of smiling Thai women with snow-white skin shown on TV and in cinemas, in magazines and newspapers. In western countries, there’s little demand for whiteners; but in Asian countries, they’re big business. According to the Thai Farmers Research Centre, in…

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Soothe away stress with a bath

You’re home. It’s been a long and hectic week, or just a stressful, never-ending day. The last thing you feel like doing is heading outside your sanctuary again to get a treatment. Why not treat yourself to a luxurious bath in the comfort of your own home to help you unwind? Chrissie Davis, spa manager…

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Tended talons

It can be a marvellous spectacle to watch a woman with very long painted nails at work, using a telephone, taking notes. But for the ordinary woman, it can be troublesome enough just trying to keep her nails healthy and respectable looking. The key? Regular basic manicures, according to Pimonrat Trirattanakittikul, owner and general manager…

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Getting a good cut from your stylist

It’s happened to nearly everyone: a haircut that’s failed to live up to your expectations or even had you in tears by the time you’ve arrived home. But there are steps you can take to ensure you get the cut you want. "Talk to your hairdresser before you get your hair wet. That way your…

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