Sinetron Malam (26 Desember 2006)

Sarapan buat saya adalah makan sambil memperhatikan mahasiswi-mahasiswi yang entah masih kucel karena baru bangun atau yang sudah segar dan bersiap pergi menuntut ilmu. Makan siang buat saya adalah makan dengan kolega kantor sambil membicarakan apapun yang lagi jadi tren saat ini. Dan makan malam buat saya adalah makan sambil nonton tivi. Tentu saja, dengan kualitas acara tivi sekarang ini, keberadaan remote dalam jangkauan tangan menjadi sesuatu hal yang esensial.

Tadi malam, seperti biasa, saya beli makan di luar dan memakannya sambil beringsut di depan tivi. Untungnya, tadi malam ada siaran bola. Tentu saja, ada kalanya selama 45 menit, ada beberapa saat di mana saya merasa bosan dan merasa perlu untuk berkeliling ke seluruh siaran yang ditawarkan. Pada salah satu perjalanan keliling siaran televisi, ada sebuah sinetron yang cukup mengganggu saya. Saya gak inget judul persisnya namun pastinya terdiri atas tiga kata penting berikut ini, "Ustadz", "Kawin", "Lagi". Ho ho, you gotta give a nod to those producers. Mereka benar-benar cepat menanggapi isu yang lagi tren. Beberapa waktu yang lalu saya juga sempat menangkap sebuah acara sinetron yang jelas-jelas terinspirasi dari peristiwa bocornya rekaman pribadi salah seorang anggota dewan. Saya berani taruhan bahwa sebentar lagi akan ada sinetron tentang seorang aktris yang dianggap baik oleh rekan-rekannya dan kemudian ditemukan mati di salah satu kamar hotel dengan indikasi overdosis. Hmm, apa sudah ada? Anyway, satu-satunya adegan yang saya lihat dari sinetron yang bersangkutan menampilkan sang aktor yang berperan menjadi ustadz memberi semacam wejangan kepada ibu-ibu warga senior dan salah seorang aktris yang menurut saya punya daya pikat di atas rata-rata aktris lainnya (saya gak inget namanya, cukup terkenal kok) di sebuah mushola (atau bangunan yang mirip mushola, saya gak inget). Berikut petikan wejangan sang ustadz yang saya coba berikan sepersis apa yang saya ingat. "Jadi saya ingin memberi contoh buat warga kampung sini, terutama ibu-ibu dan istri pertama saya.. bahwasanya.. poligami itu... bla bla bla.. sunah Rasul... bla bla bla... seperti dalam Al Qur'an... bla bla bla." Wejangan tersebut disampaikan sang aktor yang mengenakan surban, dengan suara yang sudah pasti dibuat-buat. Sedang sang aktris sendiri tampak sangat alim dengan pakaian panjang, dan jilbab warna lavender. Oh, sebentar, maaf, itu bukan jilbab, tapi rambut. Itu tadi adalah satu-satunya adegan yang saya lihat dari sinetron tersebut, tidak lebih dari tiga puluh detik, tapi cukup membuat saya kehilangan selera makan dan memutuskan untuk mengganti channel ke siaran bola dan tetap di channel tersebut sampai tengah malam.

Buat penggemar acara tivi tentu masih ingat dengan kejadian yang sempat merajai tayangan tivi dan menginvasi milis dan bulletin board dengan diskusi tanpa ujung yang berkaitan dengan tiga kata kunci judul sinetron yang sudah saya sebut di atas. Bukan bermaksut menggurui, tapi dari adegan yang saya cuplik dari sinetron ini menurut saya sangat misleading. Seakan-akan, poligami itu sesuatu yang dianjurkan, sunah, dan for lack of better words, baik.

CMIIW. Saya bukan ahli agama, atau semacamnya. Tapi saya cukup tahu, kalau satu-satunya ayat Al Qur'an yang berkaitan secara langsung dengan isu beristri lebih dari satu bukan sugestif, provokatif, ataupun sunnah. At best, menurut saya, hukum poligami sama kaya hukum merokok. Mubah. Boleh, dengan syarat yaitu mampu adil. Bisa adil? Saya ndak bisa, jadi buat saya poligami itu haram. Soal sunnah Rasul, saya ndak tahu pasti. Saya mencoba untuk pragmatis saja, sunnah Rasul buat saya adalah sesuatu yang dilakukan oleh Rasul. Apa Rasul poligami? iya. Tapi harap diingat bahwa menurut sejarah yang cukup sahih, selama beliau berkeluarga, sebagian besar tahunnya justru dilalui dengan monogami. Logika sederhananya, kalau memang beristri banyak itu sunnah (which means, berpahala jika dilakukan), kenapa Rasul mesti menunggu sekian puluh tahun dulu baru beristri banyak? Kesimpulan saya pribadi, saya cenderung tidak setuju dengan anggapan bahwa poligami itu sunnah.

Saya cukup yakin kalau ada di antara manusia yang bisa dengan adil membagi harta, atau waktu mereka di antara istri-istri yang ia miliki. Namun, pertanyaan yang paling penting, lagi-lagi menurut saya, justru adalah, bisa nggak adil hati? Kebanyakan orang tua, misalnya, pasti memiliki anak yang lebih diprioritaskan daripada anak yang lain. Saya jadi ingat film Ben-Hur. Di situ ada karakter Syeikh dari Mesir yang beristri banyak. Suatu hari, Syeikh ini bercerita pada si Ben-Hur bahwa setiap malam istri-istrinya selalu bertanya-tanya siapa yang disentuh duluan oleh si Syeikh ini. Buat saya pribadi, sentuhan itu sudah merupakan implementasi dari hati. Kalau saya tidak bisa menyentuh dua, tiga, atau empat orang sekaligus dengan tangan saya, berarti saya tidak bisa membagi hati ini menjadi dua, tiga, atau empat potongan yang sama. Which means, once again, buat saya, poligami itu haram.

Lalu, berkaitan dengan sang selebritis kita yang pernikahan keduanya menghebohkan masyarakat bahkan sampai ke istana Presiden, sikap saya seperti apa? Lepas dari sunnah atau tidaknya pernikahan keduanya tadi, saya sangat menyayangkan keputusan selebritis kita tersebut. Indikasinya sederhana, ketika beberapa waktu lalu footage mereka bertiga (him, his first wife, and his second wife) atau footage dari istri pertamanya tayang di televisi, dada saya sesak melihat sang istri pertama. Dan ini bukan lip service. I really wanted to cry and if allowed, embraced her to give as much as strengh i could give. Saya gak perlu tetek bengek pembenaran ini itu bahwa hal ini atau hal itu adalah sesuatu yang seperti ini atau seperti itu. Saya cukup melihat impact yang telah terjadi, merasakannya, dan lantas memutuskan untuk tidak simpatik kepada si pelaku.

Well, that settles it. Anyway lagi, Buku Harian Nayla tadi malam juga sudah tamat. Kemiripan ceritanya terhadap salah satu Dorama Jepang, Ichiritoru (One Litre of Tears) tidak membuat sinetron ini hilang popularitasnya. Malah dalam sebuah acara tivi (yang ditayangkan di stasiun yang sama dengan penayang sinetron jiplakan ini), sinetron ini dipuji. Yap, memang, ending sinetron ini tidak seperti kebanyakan sinetron yang si tokoh baik jadi pemenang, semua senang, dan semuanya hidup bahagia sampai akhir hayat. Endingnya, si Chelsea (Chelsea Olivia, anak SMP yang sering menyaru jadi anak kuliahan atau paling enggak anak SMU, penggantinya Leoni, namun inevitably, dinobatkan jadi ratunya sinetron jiplakan karena banyak dari sinetron do'i yang jiplakan) mati di bawah pohon cemara (pohon natal) pas pernikahannya. Clap clap clap, endingnya saudara-saudara, ternyata beda sama cerita aslinya. Tapi, tunggu sebentar, endingnya ternyata nyuplik, terinspirasi dari salah satu Dorama Jepang lainnya, yang jujur, satu dari sedikit sinetron Jepang yang saya ikuti, Kamisama (Kyoko Fukada, Takeshi Kaneshiro). Tsk tsk tsk. Lagi, you really had to give those producers an applaud. Their 'extensive' knowledge of 'other people's works' could really inspired them to made one hell of a masterpiece. I'm at loss for words at the moment. Let us take our hat off, bow down in pray, for our Cinema who has been 'alive' after the 90's hiatus, has once again, fell prey to the scythe of the Grim Reaper.

*fuhh fuhh capek nulis pake bahasa Indonesia yg baik dan benar*

Festival Film Indonesia 2006

This post would be littered with cursing and dirty words.

Freaking assholes! I mean, where the fuck was those juror's eyes been put? On their ass? Stupid people, fuck shit, there are everywhere.

It's official, last night, Nayato Niofuala and his disgrade ensemble charade in the form of low-life film Ekskul won the Best Director and Best Pictures. And this 'Indonesian Academy Awards' has turned into 'Indonesian Razzie Awards'. Wishful thinking, i closed my eyes, opening it again and still sees 'Indonesian Academy Awards'. Just sad.

To be fair, of all 5 Indonesian film get nominated this year, i only haven't seen Ruang just yet. But, but, but, but, Denias was more superior than Ekskul like from every point of view. Except for Ramon J. Tungka, that is (this is a hugely relative comparison. i.e. Ramon was more superior than any of his peers at Ekskul, but fall unbelievably long to those casted in Denias). He was the sole solace of the entire Ekskul film. But still, it doesn't make Ekskul into a rough-diamond film, it was still dirt, pile of shit, garbage can, whatever you want to call it. Mendadak Dangdut was also more superior despite Titi Kamal only knows how to act being mad.

There you go, expect to see more garbage films from Nayato Fionuala a.k.a Koya Pagayo. I told you once, and i told you again, if you see any Indonesian film made by director whose name was either Nayato or Koya, stay away. Please.

Closing Year at Hand

Many posts ago, i wrote something about how my time has running out, how there was this unseen devil lurking in the shadow waiting to strike me with its furious blow, or how that i was facing a fall to a deep crevasse with huge amount of risk that i couldn't bounce back and forever laid at the bottom of the crevasse. Well, it turns out that this lowly human in me still received a lot of love from God above. As it turns out, everything went swirled into my favor. Even though that an observible positive results were still nowhere to be seen, yet, i could safely say that for the first time in my life i had plans, backup plans, and backups to backup plans. And as i'm not going younger anymore, instead of saying 'better late than never' which in my point of view was what losers says, i'd be stared hard to my nemesis and say, 'i had plans, and i will made sure they works, and not even you, my dear old nemesis, could stop me.' Fabled bravado just like in stories. However, in this story, they're mine.

On the other hand, the end of December was nigh, and there'd be two major holidays coming, Idul Adha and New Year (yes, i still celebrated the Roman New Year, since i was still not used to the Islamic Calendar just yet). Insya Allah, this year's Idul Adha would brought forth some changes to me, personally. And for New Year, as usual i had one public New Year's resolution which just like ones i made since 2004, was to watch every film released in 2007. That would count to at the very least 208 films. Also there were several private New Year's resolutions in which i had to kill you (or marry you) should you knew about them.

Have a great Idul Adha and New Year's people, enjoy your holiday. This site would probably going to hiatus for a while, as well. Be seeing you in 2007.

JIFFest: Babel (2006)

I've been out of town in this week, that even though the Jiffest has officially ended last Sunday, i still had a couple reviews waiting to be published.

Probably the most anticipated film at the Jiffest. The tickets for Babel has been sold out more than a week before the festival begun. I was lucky to had one. And along with The Queen, it was the best film i've seen in this year's festival.

Following his two previous works, Amores Perros (which is awesome), and 21 Grams (which in exception of Sean Penn as leading role, also quite superior), Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu employs a multiple narrations that overlaps one another without any fixed time-lines. But it doesn't hard to follow. The film weaves a story of four different set characters whose never seen one another during the film and scattered in various locations in the world (Morocco, Japan, and Mexico). These characters and stories were connected with a single gun, and a single shot. In my opinion, this film was quite similar with Amores Perros concerning the message it carries. Love, Reasons, and Resolutions. But if i had to chose which one is better among other, i would inclined to Amores Perros. Since it was more personal, and more tight. The only problem of Babel that keep arousing once and a while was that the film tends to overlong. With almost two and a half hour, you could easily imagine. Fortunately, though, the narration jumped at the right places that it could keep myself from being bored.

Moreover, this film had quite an ensemble casts. From the deaf-mute Chieko, to an intrepid Yussuf, all the characters seemed able to unleash their true potentials. This was the best work i've seen from Gael Garcia Bernal (though he had only limited screen time), and probably the best emotional role from Brad Pitt though he was also scarcely on stage. And of course, Cate Blanchett. I dont have to comment on her. She was great as usual. Now I really loved to see such actors like Brad Pitt took the role on an ensemble film like this, I could really appreciate how far he had transgressed from multi million dollars paycheck to a small role that actually explore his capability. And he looks so old, and weary, in this film, which is good.

My favourite slice of story from this film was one that belongs to Chieko (or the Japan storyline), who magnificently played by Rinko Kikuchi (pictured). The story never falter and i found myself waiting anxiously to wait for the Japan storyline to unravel druing the course of this film. She has the most complete arc of character in this film. She began with a resolute, independent girl, but had her share of griefs, turned into a lonely and desperate girl, and complete the circle by anchoring her desperation to one she loves best and returned again to a resolute, but much stronger girl. She was the most interesting character in this film. And that end shot where we see her it's one shot that i remembered seeing with a lot of emotions swelling inside my heart that i was on a brink of tears if people around me doesn't rustling to get out of their seat in haste (damn, those people). It's no wonder that Rinko Kikuchi got nominated for a best performance from actress in a supporting role at the next Golden Globe 2007.

Babel was scheduled to release shortly at 21 theaters near you (or is it already?), go catch it. You won't be dissatisfied. Scout Honor.

Babel, 2006
Directed by: Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu
Running Time: 142 mins.
My Rating: **** / **** (Rinko Kikuchi)

JIFFest: The Queen (2006)

This film would have been my choice of (shared) the best film i've seen in Jiffest 2006 along with Babel. It was so good that i had to cancel my schedule to see Breakfast on Pluto which was screened after this film lest I ruined my already good mood by disturbing the impression I had when I went out of the theater.

When Cate Blanchett assumes the role of Queen Elizabeth I on that film, Elizabeth, I was immediately fall in love with Cate Blanchett. Now, eight years later after said film, when Helen Mirren assumes the role of Queen Elizabeth II on The Queen, in my opinion, she would had the best performance as an actress in a leading role for the whole year.

In 1997, people of Britain, and probably the whole world mourned for the demise of Lady Di. Who could forget such tragedy, anyways? This film dealt with the event during one week of the Lady Di's demise on the queen's prespective. Having allegedly blamed that she doesn't cared about Lady Di by most of the news and her people, she had to chose between keeping the old tradition and modernized custom. For instance, when people started to ask about why there was no Union Jack's flag flew at half mast at the Buckingham Palace it was truly merely because a four houndred years old custom that the flag would only raised when the Queen was at the Palace and won't raised at all otherwise. Even if one day, the Queen dies, the Union Jack's flag won't flew at half mast at the Palace. In short, this film was deal with what the Queen had to face when Princess Diana die. She had to chose between keeping an old custom which of course would be angered the public, and overblown by press or step down to the street, greet the mourners, give the Princess proper respect (in view of the public) which considered by her as the modern way.

One of the crew members of The Queen said, that Helen Mirren was so convincing as the Queen that it wouldn't take long for them to actually stand erect with both hands behind their back whenever she passed by. And that wasn't meant as a joke. That surmised the greatness of Helen Mirren as the Queen. Her aura has already perpetuate the sense of majestic that it was so easy to imagine her as the Queen. I was even frowned when Prince Charles' introduced. I was momentarily forget that I watch a fiction not a documentary. The actual footage of the events surrounding the death of Princess of Wales also added the sense of documentary to this film.

Also very much interesting was the realtionship between the Queen and her new appointed Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

The Queen (2006)
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Running time: 97 mins.
My Rating: ****/**** (Excellent)

JIFFest: Unmei Janai Hito (2005)

When watching a film, the story had my highest point of appreciation. If a story was engaging and compelling, the film would only needed a little less of good ingredients here and there to made my day. Unmei Janai Hito was one of the such.

The film was begin with unmistakeable sense of dull drama between two strangers who had their share of misfortunes. Maki (Reika Kirishima), an introverted woman who just decided to leave her fiancee when she found out about his infidelity and Miyata (Yasuhi Nakamura), a nerdy blue collar worker who can't get over from his failed relationship six months prior with a sassy, and sexy Ayumi (Yuka Itaya, pictured above) shared a table, courtesy of Miyata's junior high school friend, who was an unlucky private investigator, Kanda (Sou Yamanaka). Together, plus a hard-time yakuza, Asai (Kisuke Yamashita), these characters would revolve around an incident with a suitcase full of money on a single long Friday night events. The film would often revisit a scene from different character's point-of-view. And this dejavu-esque technique that keep the story engaging. However, the film was also wise enough to stay on its course by being light and funny. The re-shuffled scene was very apparent that only little guessing needed to comprehend the entire original timeline of the film.

As with every other good Japanese films, i had no complaint with the casts, introverted Maki, nerdy Miyata, carefree Kanda, sultry Ayumi, and intrepid Asai were all live up to their role that none of them grew boring. Some of them even had depth as it was apparent with Maki, in which she had to face with difficult choice. The soundtrack played nicely swinging from this mood to other in a coherent way. Can't believe that this film was coming from the first-time director, Kenji Uchida.

I was blind buy the ticket to this film (just because it's Japanese), but i was ultimately rewarded, and so far, this has been my best money well spend during the festival.

Unmei Janai Hito, 2005 (US: Stranger of Mine)
Directed by: Kenji Uchida
Running Time: 98 mins.
My Rating: ***1/2 / **** (Engaging)

JIFFest: Mendadak Dangdut (2006)

This would marked as the first Indonesian film ever since Soerabaja '45 that i watch it on silver screen. And not because it's free. But because i thought that by standing inline for the free-ticket for this film would be much rewarding as opposed to oh, say, standing inline for Heart? Ekskul? or those Indonesian horrors? Well, go figure.

Now, was it worth it? Read on. The film begins with a huge (probably just because i'm seeing it at the theater) close-up shot of Titi Kamal singing some pop-tune. Man, she's ugly. Anyway, just like binary, during the film's course, there would be only two state of Titi Kamal's character. One, when she's mad, which is good, and two, when she's crying, which is not so convincing. Rather hastily, the film went into this to that in matter of seconds, apparently, Rudi Sujarwo wanted to made sure that the audience would know that Titi Kamal's character is an ass, and Kinaryosih's character is an angel in as fewest scene as possible.

Aside from that, the film's main problem was in its technicalities. On one chasing scene, the camera was sooooo wobbly that i could stand to watch it for long lest i've got a headache. The sound was sometimes uneven, sometimes too loud, and sometimes too crowded.

But, however lacked, i found myself enjoying this film. Probably because i'm in drought of Indonesian film that even a decent one could satisfy me.

Mendadak Dangdut, 2006
Directed by: Rudy Sudjarwo
Running Time: 90 mins.
My Rating: ** / **** (Decent enough)

JIFFest: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Meet the Hoovers. Little Olive was seven-year-old, she wanted to enter a beauty peagant, Little Miss Sunshine and intend to made it worthwhile for her. Her father was a struggling, if not failing motivator spokeperson who can't get any audience and often were at odds with his wife, an overworked mother who barely able to even prepared a proper meal for family's dinner. Her grandfather was recently kicked out of a nurse home because of his drug-habit and liberal way of sex. Her uncle was a gay who recently tried to kill himself after his companion refused his love. And her brother was on a nine months vow of silence until he gets into an Air Force, claiming that he hates everyone. One thing that this family would be reluctantly agreed upon, eventually. They will travel several hundred miles in a battered VW bus from Albequerque to California to take Little Olive to her first shot of fame, a beauty peagant, Little Miss Sunshine.

December edition of Premiere Magazine named Little Miss Sunshine as the second seed for a Best Picture of this year's Oscar (the first seeds were: Babel, Flags of Our Father, The Departed, Dreamgirls, and The Queen), and it was clearly the most funniest film of the year. And i believe that all 420 people in that packed Djakarta Theater last night were agreed on this.

There were long cheers and clapping after the film ends. This film has been a darling to the critics, Sundance Film Festival's favourite, and making more money than its makers could possibly imagine. All for good reasons. The film never fell apart to a chessy drama between families. The problems were not solved but agreed upon. And by the time we see that battered VW bus going again, we knew that things had changed between the family members, was it for better? or was it for worse? nobody could tell, it was up to the Hoovers to deal with their own. And us, audience, after a joyride with the Hoovers were bowed out. See, that's because in real life, problems within family weren't solved they
were dealt. And that's way this film had my excellent rating.

Little Miss Sunshine's truly perfect ensemble cast live up to the excellent script that was real which is to say, that the script wasn't meant as a joke on the family's part. They were what most likely you had in a family but we're able to share their laughs. Steve Carrell's departure from comedy doesn't flail and Paul Dano who didn't speak almost two thrid of the film deliver the film's strongest performance during the opening of the third act. Abigail Breslin, a seven year-old who plays Olive didn't trapped into being cutey little girly that her peers often fell into, and Alan Arkin as grandpa practically steals every single scene he's on.

And you could ask me for whatever money you spent for this film if you didn't at least crack a smile when the peagant came into a talent show-off section. Come on, this film is impossible not to love.

Little Miss Sunshine, 2006
Directed by: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Running Time:
My Rating: ***1/2 / **** (Hillarious)

JIFFest: Match Point (2005)

Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) was a young man from Irish who went to London to made his day. He was a retired pro tennis player, and went to teach tennis at the exclusive club where rich folks gathered. And that's how we introduced with Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), a heir to a very rich family. He quickly befriended Tom and hooked-up with Tom's sister, Chloe (Emily Mortimer) and already set for marriage. That was until he met Nola (Scarlett Johansson), Tom's fiancee. We had an impression that Chris only agreed to marry Chloe merely for money, and in truth really wanted to be with Nola. So, when Tom called-of their engagement, after Chris married, we knew that an affair was surely about to happen.

Given the premise, you may have already had guessed about how everything's turned out. Rest assured, you'll be rewarded, and satisfied with the ending. It doesn't cheat and instead of putting a satisfied end for its characters, it left out unfinished, which is why i dont feel like i was being cheated. Great watch.

When the film start, i was panicked. The film was British, with thick English accent of course, and it's a Woody Allen film where obviously there will be going a lot of talk, and it had no subtitle so i had to rely on my hearing which was i deemed as my worse English ability. Fortunately, i was underestimate my own capability. Years and years of training with films, games, and books has come to fruition. I was even overheard some guys talking about the ending, in which they had it all wrong. I won't spoil the ending. But really, even that slight misunderstood on the final act could really put this film from great to bad in interpretation. That said final act also the one that made my eye gouged and my jaw dropped, and which responsible to elevate this film into the height its achieved.

This film is Chris' story, and i couldn't think of anyone beside Jonathan Rhys Meyers to take the role. Scarlett Johannson is of course, as yummy as ever, and Emily Mortimer doesn't have any difficulty whatsoever to slid into her role as a mother, and as a wife. This film is not merely about Chris/Nola/Chloe triangle, but as you would see for yourself in the final act, it elevates into the next level, and ultimately made this film a near-masterpiece, from the point of view of your humble reviewer.

Match Point, 2005
Directed by: Woody Allen
Running Time: 124 mins.
My Rating: Excellent (***1/2 / ****)

JIFFest: The Illusionist (2006)

Edward Norton was once my favourite actor. His gig on Fight Club was extraordinary. He could really well portraying an insomniac disturbed person. However, i've rarely seen otherwise from him. The image of Tyler Durden's alter ego was in my point of view, solidly associated with him. In fact, Fight Club remains his only film that i could really enjoy. Sadly, that thing wasn't going to change in a while.

Eisenheimer's story was similar to that of Huncback from Notre-Dame. But of course, instead of being physically deformed, this guy was quite handsome, quite handy with his hands, and only thought inappropriate for falling in love to a Duchess because he was son of a carpenter. So, when said Duchess' parents separated the lovebirds, he went to travel the world, honing his magic skills and 15 years later back to Vienna to win back his girl.

But of course, there's more than meet the eye. The girl was engaged to a possessive,
megalomaniac, and drunk crown prince, Leopold who wished to overthrow his dad from the throne. And willingly or not, Eisenheimer soon tangled in a power-play that involved the Duchess, the crown-prince, and the 'not-entirely bought' police inspector.

To made this review short, the film was overlong (which actually helped in a way that i keep guessing weather Eisenheimer was a real magician or simply a man full of tricks), and the conclusion process was pragmatically shortened (that is, i'm not satisfied). Ed Norton's performance as Eisenheimer was okay, but he oftenly remind me to that insomniac disturbed person he was in Fight Club that altough the character resonate with Eisenheimer's in the last third of the film, i found it difficult to really associate Eisenheimer the illusionist as a mentally disturbed persona that lacks sleep in the first several minutes. Jessica Beil was only up there to give a reason to Eisenheimer, she was displayed up just like a mannequin in a beauty shop. Paul Giamatti was great as always, he was the one that kept this film on its course, and lastly, Rufus Sewell who so bastardly able to portray that crown prince, great cruel bastard, a typical monarch that you would only read in stories. I love him.

Don't get fooled with the title. In my opinion, it suggests that the film would greatly dealt with the live of an illusionist, you know, the way he hone his tricks, the way he performs at his show, et cetera. However, you'd still get a decent illusions along the way, but really, it was just another love story with lame (and corny) pick-up lines such as, "i travel the world, but i can't solve one mystery. The mystery of why i can't get you off my mind". Okay, i've heard better, and that scene (it's a sex scene) was the one that really put me off.

The Illusionist, 2006
Directed by: Neil Burger
Running Time: 110 mins.
My Rating: Intersting (** / ****)

JIFFest: John and Jane (2005)

I'm not a fancy to a documenter-film. But of course there are some documentary films that really 'hit' me when it's really good. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and Bowling for Columbine to name a few that crossed my mind. John and Jane was unfortunately fell far from it. John and Jane tells a story of a six different characters from India who worked as a telemarketer to the people in the U.S. Each one of them sees United States as the place of prosperity, fortune and incredible wealth. Each had their own dreams which we shall see that they drown to naught to their incredibly dull work as telemarketer. To tell you one thing, after this film, i could really appreciate and feel sorry to those girls (and guys, were there any guys in local telemarketer? uhm, can't tell) behind the phone.

John and Jane didn't 'hit' me, even so far as being a boring film. Fortunately, the film didn't cost me a cent. For those of you unaware, every documenter films that screened at Jiffest were free. The main problem with John and Jane was that i couldn't connect to the characters and their stories. There were vaguely defined names to each one of them, so vague that i couldn't remember who is who several minutes later. There were no fixed-timeline to each of the character, no fixed scenario (well, even a documenter film needs one, if you asked me), and their stories weren't interesting enough. So, you're an Indian? You grew to despise your native heritage after merely talked to the real U.S citizen twelve time-zones away? Big deal. Only one story that interesting enough. I believe his (US adopted) name was Glen. He dreamed of being a billionaire, but sadly, we see him only lived in his dreams unable to wake. He had this timeline for each day up to the minutes. It's sad. But really, if only the other five shared his sadness, the film would have worked.

Another thing that was missing about this film was the lack of conclusion. I was left as clueless as before the opening-credit rolls. The sense of anonimosity that the film-maker offered doesn't shed a conclusive solution nor an entertaining values. As an audience, i was left in audience seat. Observing from outside without ever comitting inside the characters and felt close to naught afterwards.

One thing to applaud though, just like everything's free in Indonesia, the theater was fully booked with long (and crowded) line prior the show (there were no seat numbers so you had to rushes in if you wanted to make sure you had a good spot), but during the film, the crowd were quiet, they were laughing and clapping at the right places. And that alone has made my day. Oh, i just loved civilized people. Thank you.

John & Jane, 2005
Directed by: Ashim Ahluwalia
Running Time: 83 mins.
My Rating: Quite a bore, actually (* / ****)

Blah-Blah-Blah

If i'm about to draw the red-line between Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio, it goes like this: I hate them both, really hate them both in that movie when the huge ship sinks. But, as it turns out, i really enjoyed them nowadays, i see that Leo has succesfully gone mature especially since his involvement with Martin Scorcese (casted to lead role in his last three movies, that should count on something) and i respected him more than ever now since he made that comment about my favourite actress, Cate Blanchett about how she was a 'female Daniel Day-Lewis' the guy whose responsible to creeps the hell out of me on Gangs of New York, and decided to enjoys movies more than just a mere entertainment. He said, that she was (just like Daniel Day-Lewis) a chameleon that she could actually play as anybody in any kind of movie. Oh, yes, he won my heart just right and then. Anyone who loves Cate Blanchett would surely and easily get my love.

Kate Winslet was another story. She was so damn good over the years that i wouldn't give up a chance to catch her on any movies she's on. Her charming performance in Eternal Sunshine.. was memorable especially during her red-hair phase (to tell you a secret, i've had a soft spot for red-haired woman. My girlfriend was red-haired). Only her outward beauty that put her one spot less than Cate Blanchett in my list of favourite actress.

How's that for ironic? Two of my hatred object during senior high school turns out to be two of the few of whom i really enjoyed the works. Anyway, what's wrong with Titanic? It was the top-grossing movie of all time anyway, that reason alone could deny any of my rational thought on how i dont like Titanic. I mean, the crowds love it, way too much, but still, top-grossing movie of all time? Well, i dont hate it, that's for starter, but you see, i've always put myself on the opposite of the society in regards to trend. In other words, whenever a thing get so hip that everybody talked about it, somehow, i found a way to grow contempt about it, and be proud of it. Selfish? Yes, but see, that's what i am. So, if anything hip out there, if anything was popular out there, you could safely bet that most of the time i would hate it.


Last night on DVD, i just seen Requiem for a Dream, and in my opinion, it was the best film that ever deal with drug-addictness. In fact, i think this film would be very effective to deliver the message about the danger of being drug-addict. The last fifteen minutes of the film was very raw, sickening and disturbing that i'm barely able to close my eyes without seeing the images flashes before my eyes for several hours after i watch the film. Damn. And, i can't believe that Marlon Wayans (that 'funny' guy who play junkie Shorty in Scary Movie series) could actually act. And oh, Jennifer Connelly was naked. But of course, i would called you 'sick-bastard' and silently vow to not be alone in a room with you should you're aroused by Ms.Connelly nakedness. No wonder that everybody has been so anxious to wait for Darren Aronofsky's next-project after this film (The Fountain).

Box Office

For a third week in a row, Happy Feet, most hailed as the best animation of the year (considering that many animation films came out this year, that's huge) claimed the top spot of the US Box Office chart. And ever not so far behind, also for a third week in a row, Casino Royale claimed the 2nd spot of the chart on a sure way to surpassed Die Another Day to become the top-grossing Bond movie.