Movie: Thor

I hate 3D movies, and Thor gave a perfect reason why 3D movies are mostly pointless. In the entire movie, apart from the credits, some trailers - the majority of the movie was in 2D. 3D was created mostly in the special effect scenes, but even then, it wasn't anything really immersive, or spectacular.

For a comic book inspired movie, it features surprisingly strong acting performances (it seems the general trend started by the revived Batman franchise is paying off), with a fairly strong storyline. Casting Anthony Hopkins as Thor's father, Odin, was a master stroke - and he does lend some credibility to the "wise old king" role. Likewise, Tom Hiddleston plays a superb Loki, recast from an evil half-brother, to more of a trickster and misguided/under-appreciated/depressed half-brother. I haven't read the comic book, but I enjoyed this particular portrayal of Loki.

Ignoring the 3D, it was a fun movie worth watching - if only there were more 2D screens!

Service Credit

In the IT outsourcing industry, service credits are used when the service provider does not meet the service level agreement targets. Late last month (around Freedom day), roadworks near my house led to a cut in the Telkom cables, resulting in an interruption in service (for about a week). I was glad to see on my latest Telkom bill that the full month's subscription fee (line rental etc) was reversed; which is very much unlike other service providers in South Africa (I am thinking of my cellphone contracts in particular). So, well done to Telkom - a rare, but deserved compliment.

Movie: Let Me In

It is supposedly based on the Swedish novel, Låt den rätte komma in (Wikipedia), but looking through the various synopsis, it is more akin to the Swedish film adaptation from two years ago, than the book. The source of inspiration doesn't really matter - it is a great story, backed up by some really impressive acting.

The story centres on Owen, a lonely, often bullied, 12 year old boy, living with his soon to be divorced mother; who develops a friendship with Abby, also a young girl, who has recently moved in (with what seems to be her father). Very early on, it is clear that Abby is not simply a girl, but some sort of a vampire; although Owen is to discover this fact a lot later.

The plot centres on two different lines - which eventually merge - the developing friendship between Owen and Abby, and how it is impacted by deaths related to Abby's need for blood; and the continuing bullying and Owen's attempts at fighting back.

In reality, this is not a horror movie - it is a romance; with some excellent acting by the young actors playing Owen and Abby coupled with some great directing and script writing. It is certainly worth watching, and it has made me keen to find the Swedish version someday.

Gilberto Gil

Legendary Brazilian musician (and politician), Gilberto Gil, played two shows at the Market Theatre on Thursday and Friday evening this week. I first learnt about Gilberto Gil through Wired Magazine's feature on Creative Commons, which also featured new tracks from leading artists across the world (including Gilberto Gil). Later, I saw him perform in Salvador during the Carnaval (see my post here).

Gilberto Gil is filming a documentary called "Connecting the South", where he makes musical connections with various performers across the Southern Hemisphere. The concert was mostly for the purposes of the documentary, but it did help that there was a full house to see him perform.

As can be expected from such initiatives, there was a number of different genres on show - from Brazilian Bosa Nova, to traditional African, to afro-pop/contemporary pop and things in between. The show started with traditional Xhosa music - which I have seen on TV, and is very much an endangered musical form - played by Xhosa Muse Madosini. The drummer in Gilberto Gil's band would return later, to perform a more modern piece with the same traditional Xhosa instruments. In the varied South African music scene, I think there will be consensus with my view that traditional music forms are fast disappearing, and most South Africans have never heard traditional musical instruments. Events such as this, not only expose the traditional form of the music, but also the potential use of such instruments in new musical forms.

Vusi Mahlasela also joined Gilberto Gil a few times, playing both his own songs or joining in with the Bosa Nova. Other collaborations included the The Fatima Choral Community Choir, The WITS Choir and the The MIAGI Youth Orchestra.

It was an odd mix of languages (I recognised at least 5 - English, Sotho, Xhosa, Zulu and off course Brazilian Portuguese), and while some collaboration pieces worked, others were less than ideal. Given the documentary will probably only be 90 minutes or so, I am not sure how much footage of this concert will be used. Documentary aside, it was an enjoyable show of varied musical performance.

Rhythmic Affairs

The wonderfully named MIAGI(music is a great investment) is a non-profit organisation that is now operating in its 10th year. The primary aim of MIAGI is to fund the development of young musicians (although, they have supported some very interesting projects beyond the youth projects in the past). The MIAGI Youth Orchestra and Youth Big Band is one of the premier projects supported by the initiative, supporting 103 youths (between 11 and 25 years old) from across South Africa in full.

The Youth Orchestra presented their concert "Rhythmic Affairs" at the Linder Auditorium yesterday, with Christian Muthspiel conducting. One thing that definitely set the group apart from the "adult" orchestras is that they genuinely seem to be enjoying the performance. Many seemed to be sharing jokes while the bassists even "high fived" each other after the individual pieces (with their bows though). The musicians also had great rapport with the conductor, and there was a highly amusing encore, which seemed to be unrehearsed.

The first piece of the evening was a new piece composed by Paul Hammer, who also played the piano, named "Halo-gram". It was, in my opinion, rather crap - the music did not have any semblance of atmosphere or any story to tell; and the various instruments just didn't seem to fit together. Perhaps it will sound better if I hear it again, but I am not exactly wanting to ...

The second piece was adapted from the original film score for "On the Waterfront" by Leonard Bernstein. Unlike the previous piece, this piece definitely provided the atmosphere of the movie - the grit and the struggle in a gang dominated harbour of New York.

The third piece, after the interval was Maurice Ravel's Boléro, and definitely my favourite one of the evening. I have heard snippets of the piece before, but never in full - and the enthusiastic kids definitely made it a great performance.

The last piece of the evening was Gershwin's "An American in Paris", featuring some vuvuzelas - proving that, in the right hands, the vuvuzela can be a musical instrument. The combination of the jazz and the more traditional orchestra was impressive.

The orchestra has some great prospects - it is apparently due to open the Young Euro Classic Festival in 2012. Miagi is certainly not yet at the level of the El Sistema, but it is going in the right direction; and should be supported by all. Perhaps, in 10 more years, it can become something like the El Sistema.

Winnie the Opera

A brand new opera, based on one of the most colourful (and controversial) politicians in South Africa; had its premiere at the South African State Theatre, last night. The venue was symbolic, as Winnie herself commented "was one of the institutions we tried hard to bomb", after the show in a vote of thanks to the cast and crew.

Any biographical art piece on a living subject, particularly a polarising subject, is difficult - and in my opinion, the opera failed. The opera focused quite a bit on the TRC proceedings and the Stompie Seipei incident, which the TRC itself judged "Ms Winnie Madikizela Mandela politically and morally accountable for the gross violations of human rights committed by the MUFC" (see the Wikipedia article). However, there was little focus on what made Winnie out to be the "Mother of the Nation", and what makes her a strong politician. In fact, Winnie Mandela's vote of thanks to the cast and crew after the show, provided far more insights to her ability as a politician than the opera itself.

My other criticism of the opera revolves around the lyrics - perhaps it is because of the language (most of it was in English), but the lyrics just didn't sound musical - and did not give any one character, particularly Winnie, any real solo parts to really show of their skills.

That said, the opera did have a number of high points. The production was spectacular in terms of costumes, set design, excellent score and the various use of video projections were stunning. The individual performances were also impressive - and the three main characters, Tsakane Maswangayi (as Winnie Mandela), Otto Maidi (as Columbus) and Pierre du Toit (as Major Swanepoel), coupled with some impressive backing performances.

There is a very limited run right now (5 shows), and the opera is comparatively short (only 90 minutes), and the performances well worth supporting. Perhaps, the opera was designed with popular audience in mind; hence the shorter duration with less focus on the broader story. While I wouldn't watch it again, it was certainly an enjoyable performance.

Pikitup Strikers - Shouldn't they really be heroes?

The Pikitup (the municipal agency in Johannesburg, which is responsible for garbage removal) ended on Thursday, after approximately 3 weeks. The non removal of garbage from across the city has had its impact, and there are off course a number of calls in the media to be not charged for services not delivered. On top of this, the ANC has accused the union SAMWU, its ally, of sabotaging the ANC election campaign in the upcoming local government elections.

Amongst all this, the subject of why Pikitup workers were striking seem to be conveniently forgotten. The workers had three agenda points - investigation of corruption and nepotism in senior management, the treatment of temporary workers and wage disparities. The fact that they settled the strike without any agreement on wage disparities - the subject of almost all industrial action in South Africa in the recent past, shows that this strike was nothing to do with money.

What I find worrying, is not that there was a strike which affected all residents of Johannesburg, but that the workers were striking to get action to investigate allegations of corruption and nepotism. Has our municipal system become so corrupt, that the only way to draw attention of corruption and nepotism in the senior management of municipalities is through striking? Has the political leadership of the municipality completely lost it?

So unlike many of my fellow residents, I will not criticise SAMWU or the workers of Pikitup. In fact, I think they need to be commended for taking a stance. And perhaps the rest of the residents of Johannesburg should actually complain, not about the strike, but the leadership higher up that should have resolved the issue of corruption and nepotism long before it got here.

God's Window - Aptly Named

Skyway Trails

Just outside Hazyview, Skyway trails offer about 2 hours worth of fun, zipping down the hillside towards the Sabie river. It is not as unique a setting as Tsitsikama, and I think it misses an ideal opportunity to one-up Tsitsikama - starting higher up the hill and then going across the Sabie river. Nevertheless, there is some beautiful scenery coupled with some really nice long ziplines.




Skyway trails is also a perfect example of how eco-tourism ventures can work successfully. The trails are located on a wide piece of land owned by the local community, and all the guides are from the community. During busy days (such as weekends) there are upto 10 trips a day, but on slower days such as the day we went, there are only two trips (morning and after lunch), thus a bit of planning may be needed to make the most use of the day.

Dreamgirls

The Teatro in MonteCasino is showing an all-South African cast, version of the Broadway musical, Dreamgirls. It is a fun show for the whole family (although the ticket prices may make it a bit difficult to take the whole family), and the production is simply amazing.

The highlight of any musical is the singing, and cast do not disappoint. Lindiwe Bungane as Effie White was amazing, and filled the role very well. She also came across as the most capable singer, which is exactly what is to be expected from the role.

The costumes were spectacular, and embodied the different eras represented by the musical. But more amazing were the costume changes, some taking literally seconds. In addition to the costumes, the stage props and the graphical support were equally impressive.

Dreamgirls is an exceptionally well made production, and highly enjoyable. It is definitely worth watching.

Governor Tito Mboweni

"The title of Governor is for life", even after one retires as the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Governor Tito Mboweni hinted in jest, after politely reflecting on yet another change between the private and public sectors. UCT's Black Alumni forum hosted a talk by the ex-governor which in itself was part of a wider UCT Alumni programme for this year. This is the first one I have been to; and it was a very enjoyable evening - particularly because of the Mr Mboweni's honesty and openness in his talk.

The focus was on transformation - but not on the overused word in the South African lexicon. Instead, his talk was about his own life - from a young political activist, to exile, to a minister in the new government, to the central bank governor and finally to life in the private sector. It was given in good humour, with plenty of anecdotes and stories - but at the same time it was inspiring and in some cases brutally honest and very politically incorrect. He did touch on racial transformation - but it was an attack against token appointments, and that true transformation is when there is a positive transformation in quality; not just a new face.

He gave a frank assessment of the problems with South African politicians, and their lack of ethical behaviour; not only in terms of corruption and nepotism but also in terms of service delivery. He had two very distinct, but equally memorable points on politicians - the first, is that politicians should be serving in spite of having other potential jobs; and not because it is the only job available. His rationale there is, that in that case, the chances are that you are doing public service because you want to serve, not because you want to get more money. His second point, was that there is a very distinct change in lifestyle that comes with power, and very few people are equipped to actually deal with that change. The second point is qually relevant outside politics - the fact that people, who have found sudden riches do not always have the capacity to actually manage their new wealth. So, the fact that the politician now has a car or a house, they seem to forget that it is temporary.

Another assessment was that there seems to be a decline in the intellectual capital in the political movements, specifically referring to the ANC. From a time, where the freedom movement was filled with intellectual heavy weights who could argue with reason, his assessment of the current crop of leaders was that they were no longer intellectually arguing their case, but rather stooping to dirty tactics and political games.

In the Q&A session, he answered some very difficult questions, but his assessment of the nationalisation debate was particularly illuminating - especially given his dual role as the Chairman of AngloGold Ashanti and a member of the ANC's national leadership. The nationalisation debate was answered in the early 1990's, and the ANC formally made a decision that it was not in the party's agenda. He takes blame as part of the "older" generation that this was not communicated and disseminated well into the younger members. But he highlighted a number of problems and concerns that have repeatedly hammered South Africa's reputation in the mining sector - from the issue of the mining charter being leaked, to the debacle of the mining license maladministration to the issues with Kumba-Mittal etc. This has not helped the South African brand, and it has not helped the debate. But most tellingly, was his assessment that, despite President Zuma and Matthews Phosa repeatedly stating it was not the government's policy to nationalise, the investors were not buying it. His assessment - in this regard, they are just not trusted, and Malema is; and for a very simple reason. Malema stated that Mbeki would be ousted, and they ANC higher brass denied it. Malema stated that the Scorpions would be disbanded, and it was. So, given that - Malema's word carries a lot more clout than that of the President.

Given his earlier comments on intellectual capital within the ANC, the proliferation of politicians who have lost their ethical compass - it is a stark reminder of what can go wrong. Governor Mboweni was frank in his assessment that the ANC needs to rebuild; but the question I suppose is - how much help does he have?

The Tragedy of Richard III

I have seen two types of Shakespeare productions - lavish productions with huge casts and complicated sets; and the minimalist, working with the bare minimum. In the case of the latter, these productions are usually abridged to highlight the critical scenes or perhaps just to highlight a single particular character or scene.

Until the 24th of April, the Market Theatre, in conjunction with the National Arts Festival is showing a minimalist production of Richard III. While I am no Shakespeare expert, a quick glance at the Wikipedia page shows that, while the production is abridged; the core play is unaffected, and in fact the story itself did not feel abridged.

It is a 3 man play, featuring David Dennis, Marcel Meyer (as Richard III) and Anelisa Phewa. Each man plays a number of characters, and the use of costumes (with some highly stylised masks) and puppets for the young princes are brilliant touches. The set, while minimal, has an amazing centrepiece - a cupboard where Richard's various victims' busts are stowed, which then return in the final act to haunt Richard before his final battle.

The acting is superb, especially that of Marcel Meyer, who plays the twisted character of Richard III exceptionally well, and has the stage presence fit for the role. The sound effects, mood music as well as the lighting also complements the play very well, and makes it a really well polished production.

It is argued that Richard III has been mistreated by Shakespeare, and he was not an evil tyrant as portrayed in the play. Regardless, the play is a topical reminder of the power and abuses of tyrannical dictators; including some of the motivations behind the supporters of such dictators.

The fascinating history of CricInfo

I have been using CricInfo (now known as ESPNCricInfo) since the late 1990's. I remember using it at school to follow the world cup in 1999 and other matches before that. It has become a publishing phenomenon as well as a treasure trove of cricket data. During the recently concluded world cup, the site has been running a video series "Running Between the Cricket", and the last video (episode 30) spurned me to look deeper on the history of the website.

CricInfo's own about page is pretty barren, and its Wikipedia page is not as informative as it should be, but there is a link to an alternative Wiki page here, and it is a fascinating story of an Internet phenomenon - a group of people, who contributed their time and energy (and in some cases hard money) to fuel their passion. There are interesting tidbits on the history of the Internet itself, and some naivety in this regard - such as the expectation of a single Unix server to last for 10 years!

The Big Swing

"Step back, half a step"
I shuffle backwards, a bit anxious, but I can still feel the floor

"Bend your knees slightly"
What's this, bend your knees, stand up, routine?

"Look straight at me ... are you looking forward to this?"
"Off course", I reply - I haven't done something with as much of an adrenalin rush since going hang gliding over Rio - and that was rather tame, in comparison.

"Enjoy!"
That's it - he just lets go, and I go falling into the gorge. It is a rush, as I hit full speed, until the cable pulls tight, and then I am swinging in the gorge. It is similar to a bungee jump; in the free fall, but unlike a bungee jump, you swing across the gorge in a rather sedate speed after the free fall (the bungee has a number of smaller free falls).



The Big Swing is located across the gorge just outside Graskop, starting next to the Graskop waterfalls. There are two activities - the slide and the swing (and if you take the swing, you get the slide for free). The slide is actually pretty disappointing in terms of an adrenalin rush - the gradient is pretty small, and thus it is really quite a gentle ride. While it is not an adrenalin rush, it is a great view of the canyon.



In a stark contrast, the swing has a high adrenalin rush, and to add further fun, getting back from the bottom of the falls is via a fairly rickety and slippery staircase.



It is actually a pretty cheap thrill ride, when compared to a bungee jump, and it is a nice way to enjoy the views of the gorge.

Cricket, and India's obsession from a foreign view

Wright Thompson has a long, but brilliant article on his introduction to cricket at the recently concluded World Cup. It focuses a lot on the celebrity focus of Indian cricket, particularly on Sachin Tendulkar, and the links between the cricket celebrity obsession and India's economical growth.

I have watched cricket in India (see here), and the celebrity focus is easy to spot, especially with Sachin Tendulkar. But at the same time, the crowds around me were genuinely knowledgable on cricket, and cheered South Africa's heroics as much as celebrated India's. But then, it was a test match and not a one day match. One day matches and 20Twenty matches in particular are the simpler, dumber formats, that feature more entertainment than artistry or skill. In many respects, Wright Thompson, a novice at the game, manages to capture much of this "decline", and it is a truly fascinating article on his experiences.

I think some of the implied conclusions are correct for India, cricket is not a religion, certain players however are god.

Carmen

Bizet's Carmen is reputedly the world's most popular opera, and it is easy to see why - catchy tunes, great orchestral score, great characters and the combination of sex, crime, violence, sacrifice, betrayal combine to form a great story. Opera Africa, in conjuction with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra have been performing Carmen for the past month, first at the State Theatre in Pretoria, and until the 10th of April, in the Joburg Theatre.

The first comment to make on the show, is that the casting is brilliant. All the main characters fit the singers - with each singer perfectly portraying in acting and physically what is expected from the characters - from a shy village girl (Micaela) to the sexy gypsy (Carmen) or the showman bull fighter (Escamillo). The production is further enhanced by some simple, but very stylish sets, great costumes and the acting/stage direction.

Carmen is brilliantly played by American Cristina Nassif, and truly embodies the role - she is sexy, somewhat mysterious, a tease and generally strong willed. Another American, Noah Stewart plays Don Jose, and the chemistry between the two was amazing - from courtship, to dissolution, is amazingly portrayed. Ntsikelelo Mali's portrayal as Escamillo is equally well portrayed, as is the chemistry between Carmen and Escamillo. Kelebogile Boikanyo's solo in Act 4 drew the greatest applause from the near full house, just compliments how well the cast was put together.

Last year, I saw the Met's production of Carmen at Ster-Kinekor, and while that production certainly had more lavish sets, the South African production was just as good in my opinion - but then I am no connoisseur. I do think however, opera live is a lot better than opera on the screen.

Hiding in the tress (2)

The Tree Top Hide in Mapungubwe is fairly unique in its construction, and given the considerably lower visitor numbers, very peaceful. It is a twitcher's paradise (not that I am one) - but on the second day, I just took my iPad and read some ebooks in the peaceful hide, overlooking the elephants grazing on the lush banks of the swollen Limpopo river and the many colourful birds.

Hiding inside a tree

Tree-Top hide, Mapungubwe

It's a bird, It's plane, It's ... an Impala

The Maloutswa Pan Bird Hide, at the western part of Mapungubwe, overlooks a small waterhole (which seems to be part of a non-perennial river). On my first morning in Mapungubwe, I followed two huge herds of impala and wildebeest to the waterhole - and discovered that it was teeming with animals and birds. It was a great place to watch animals and take photos, especially of the impala prancing around.

Mapungubwe Landscape

View of Mapungubwe Valley, with the Limpopo river in the far background. The combination of rocks, riverside forrest and the savanah makes it quite unique in some respects.