Happy New Year

So we arrived at our predetermined time of year. An idea tossed by society, sanctified by industry, and made eternal by (our) habits, this time of year is where we marked the very last few numbered box in our calendar, or preparing for a (probably) knock-yourself-out end of the year party. All in all, like it or not, i believe i wasn't very far from the truth when i say that each of us would spare several minutes of our precious time invigorating our accomplishments, failures, and whatever passed as an evaluation in our moments recently passed.

I was indifferent to a new year's celebration. Well, not so much anyway. I still thought about it, contemplating the events twelve months back, and making an half-serious, half-subconscious lists that could be well thought of as targets. But, if i ever passed my new year's eve with partying through the night, fireworks, and chanting counting down the seconds, i had entirely forgot about it. I believe i haven't had such experiences. Merely because, i valued my solitude more than any, and loud noises, many unfamiliar faces were rather stepping a little bit too far into my comfortable zone. I had plans though for this year's new year's eve. Plans that involved learning a tad more about Android (probably, heck, hopefully, could came out with fresh ideas), contemplating Coen Brothers' films and probably dedicated the first week of 2008 with blog entries about each film's retrospective, probably a Venti cup of Cafe Misto at Starbucks (which given my general distaste with strangers, could be well dusted and buried), and most likely just sit in my room with a paperback in hand (let's not forget the ephemeral yellow pad notes). One thing for sure though, all of these plans doesn't necessary involved any other person other than myself. My colleagues planned to go to Bandung which if you asked me, a very very very bad idea. There's not enough open road in Bandung that could contain all the cars with 'B' letter on its license plate that would infested Bandung starting from today. So, i had opted to not have any plans instead.

The year that had passed seen some of my earlier ideas come to fruition, seen several paths paved up nicely for the taking, but some disappointments were also due, bridges crumbled, events that made me cringed in agony when i remembered it, events that made me smile in silent gratitude, and more so, prominent than any other pinnacles of memory in me, events that made me want to shout angrily at myself for the incompetence. Overall, i could very much say that i had made some kind of progression into my previously aimless life. Not much, not very much, probably a single stone i thrown down into a pit that would later become the very foundation of my dream house. Insignificant, but it's a first step. Just like some old wise guy whom name i hadn't cared to remember - he's probably Chinese, but couldn't tell - said that every journey begins with a single step, and so my life has entered a new phase where i just took a single concrete step toward the fabled destination.

Okay, that being said, i've only got one plan for the year 2008 that i would like to reveal publicly through this blog, which is getting Married. Oh yes, i've GOT to get Married this year. With capital 'M'. It's not as easy as you may think, because we (me and my gf, naturally) had to paid for the event by ourselves. Ah, well..

Anyway, happy new year.

Waiting for a Hammer to Fall

Sigh. The very last few days has been very very hectic. More so because the year's end approaches, thus, every single item that was scheduled to wrap off in 2007 should and has to finish before a relatively long holiday which in my case, started tomorrow. Which further means, that this blog won't see any updates until December 27th, 2007.

Anyway, i had been working in various different companies for what? Three years and five different companies. Yet, this marked the very first time i was eligible for year's end bonus. My first ever year's end bonus, by the way. I had agreed with my manager about my performance in this semester (which lies somewhere between Good and Exceptional) and my report has been filed to the Human Resources whom will later settled on how much (usually, it was somewhere between two and three times of monthly stipend) each employees would receive as his/her respective semester bonus. It was probably one of the benefit of working in somewhat governmental company. But is it something that i really really want? Despite the pluses, i found myself longing for a little bit of comfort. A comfort provided by writing several thousand lines of codes. Meaningless words with colorful blue and green (depending on your IDE, of course) but magic none the less.

Whiner.

Missed Deadline

Lack of sleep for a couple of days, and barely had a quality time to sit and write (as if i had some considerable skills in writing that justified me, needed so called 'quality time' to write a lousy article. But like it or not, i DO need a quality time to sit and write), i missed my deadline for today, and hence, i had to force myself to squeeze something out of my tiny brain. So, here goes nothing, the last two films i saw at this year's Jiffest.

Bushi no Ichibun / Love and Honor (2006)
Whoever never heard of Samurai and its renowned honor should really get out of whatever confined space he was in. Love and Honor was yet another Japan film that dealt and highlighted the relationship between Samurai and their honor. A Samurai, who was a food taster at the castle, poisoned. He was spared from death, yet, he lost his sight due to its poison. Unable to support his family, he felt that he was a dishonor and tried to kill himself. His wife, of course, had anticipated it and hid her husband's samurai sword. To support the family, the Samurai's relative suggests the wife to ask for help from the higher authority who happened to know her. Reluctantly, the wife agrees and seek for this higher authority for help. We, of course, know what would happened next.

There's no mistaken about the quality of the film's production. Its beautiful scenery, color shows exactly what state-of-the-art film equipments were capable of. The characters varies, from the ever loyal, comic-relief servant, a magnificent scene-stealer gossiping aunt, a beautiful (a very beautiful, i MUST add) wife, an ever good Samurai (Takuya Kimura), to a vile, poisonous antagonist Samurai.

I was whispering to my gf at one point and said, "if i direct this film, this is where it ends". After the said scene, i was confused. Because clearly, i think the Love part outweighs the Honor part, and when i thought about it, ironically, in the end, the poisonous antagonist Samurai had more honor than the protagonist Samurai. All in all, it was an uplifting film, a feel-good film that made you at least smile a little when you leave the theater. My gf loved the film. On the other hand, i loved the film up to a point where i whispered to my gf, "If i direct the film, this is where it ends".

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
So, how do you spell overhyped? Probably this film's title one of how. I was wary about the film even before i purchased the ticket to its screening at Jiffest. More because the film has garnered nothing but at best, a mediocre reviews, and none that i know of, not even a single gleaming review save for the main lady part which was rested on the shoulder of Cate Blanchett, shouldn't be any surprise. In short, i was prepared to NOT enjoying the film save for Ms.Blanchett's performance. I found out later, after the film ended, that i held a simple glimmer of hope that i would enjoy the film. A hope that wasn't satisfied, and thus, leaving me with some unwanted feeling that left a vile, bitter taste on the tip of my tongue. The film was too crowded to my taste, too many chanting-orchestra-whatever-was-that-supposedly-be-called-scores that very much distracted me and left me trailing (and subsequently lost) in the dusts that resulting from the pace and its rather jumpy (to my taste) montages. I was probably needed another viewing, because as was Elizabeth (the first film), the first time is not really a pleasant experience.

Golden Globe Awards 2008 Nominations

Welcome to the award seasons. What's that? Festival Film Indonesia 2007? Sorry. But you had to look elsewhere for that. I'm not intend to write anything whatsoever about the award. I'm keeping a close eyes on that though, but i think i'm not going to waste anymore of my energy toward that direction. Instead, i look to Hollywood. For the Golden Globe 2008 nominations had been announced.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
American Gangster
Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe in roles not unlike at all to those of Al Pacino and Robert de Niro in Heat? In an era where Bugsy Malone and Al Capone reigned? Oh, i'm so there, just when this film hit the local theater anyway? That's the question.
Atonement
I had to give up my tickets to Atonement at this year's Jiffest (i should've seen it yesterday evening), but it was rainy and i had tons of work to do anyway. Yet, i'm not entirely felt there's something missing about it.
Eastern Promises
David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen follow up to the excellent A History of Violence (not a sequel!)? Damn. Again, when this film would hit (if ever) the local theater anyway?
The Great Debaters
Yeah, um, Denzel Washington led a group of relatively unknown schoolers to up against Harvard's debate team? This would be one of those underdog film thing that supposed to made you feel good about it afterwards. Not interested, if you asked me.
Michael Clayton
A slow thriller with George Clooney up front? My girlfriend would blindly bought the ticket for this film. Truth be told, i'm as well.
No Country for Old Men
Coen brothers did what they did best in this film. Need i say more? One of my best experience in Jiffest 2007 so far.
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson, one of my favorite director team-up with one of my favorite actor, Daniel-Day Lewis in a film that fit into my favorite genre.

My pick: If it came to pick, i would pick either No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. But since i haven't seen There Will Be Blood? That pick would have to wait.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Across the Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray - the inclusion of this film sparked my immediate 'WTF' response.
Juno
Ellen Page all the way. Ellen Page all the way. And just to make myself clear, Ellen Page all the way. Third film about unwanted pregnancy this year, and the only one that i hadn't seen. And uh, did i mentioned about Ellen Page?
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Jhonny Depp is back again with Tim Burton

My pick: Juno all the way. Though, where's Superbad? Where's Knocked Up? The inclusion of Hairspray made me blow raspberry. But hey, to each his own.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney in Michael Clayton
Daniel-Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy in Atonement
Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington in American Gangsters

My pick: Daniel-Day Lewis. Even though of all the five nominations, i hadn't seen any one of them :p

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie in Away From Her
Jodie Foster in The Brave One
Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley in Atonement

My pick: Should i really tell? Of course, it's Cate Blanchett. Always Cate Blanchett.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Jhonny Depp in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ryan Gosling in Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Savages
John C. Reilly in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

My pick: Tough one, but i'd go with John C. Reilly.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams in Enchanted
Nikki Bionsky in Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Marion Cotillard in Mome, La
Ellen Page in Juno

My pick: Oh, oh, the decisions. I had to made choice between two of my favorite actress, Amy Adams and Ellen Page. I'd go with Ellen Page just because Juno promises more excellency than that of Enchanted.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta in Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton

My pick: Between the two. Casey Affleck or Javier Bardem

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There
Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan in Atonement
Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton

My pick: Another easy pick. I'd say Golden Globe was crazy if they don't pick Cate Blanchett who plays Bob Dylan.

Best Director
Tim Burton in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen in No Country for Old Men
Julian Schnabel in Scaphandre et le papillon, Le
Ridley Scottt in American Gangster
Joe Wright in Atonement

My pick: Coen brothers.

Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, January 13th 2008.

I Won

Just got called from some agency (its name was lost to me due to a bad reception) that informs me that i had won 2 tickets to Kuala Lumpur (i hope that it's a round-trip ticket, not a single-trip) from some quiz that was held during the screening of El Orfanato several days ago. Since i didn't have a passport (though been planning to get one), i wonder if i'd still be eligible for the prize. Ah, well, the agency was several feet away from my office anyway, as well as going lunch tomorrow to see wether i was eligible for the tickets or not.

Jiffest 2007: No Country for Old Men (2007)

The name Coen brothers might not be familiar to most. But, as it turns out, and was generally agreed, expecting normalcy in Coen brothers work was pointless. Nobody (that i know of) could mix thriller, drama, and quirky humor the way they did. I was introduced to them through Fargo, and quickly wound up my way obtaining their other works (so far, Barton Fink, Blood Simple, Miller's Crossing, Intolerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers, and my personal favorite, The Big Lebowski). No Country for Old Men put the Coens back on their track (after the relatively pop-ish, big-star studded flicks of The Ladykillers and Intolerable Cruelty). It has zero box-office potential, but you'd certainly need to question yourself about your film taste if you can't sense any brilliance in it.
He's got a bad weird hairdo. But really, you don't want to get on his bad side. As one of the character said about him, "You met him? And you still alive, that's something". Javier Bardem is Anton Chigurh, and he is one hell of a bastard. He never hesitated to kill, he had his principles, weird and twisted as they are, these principles of his were never violated, he never said a word out of necessity, he's got a very lethal weapon of choice, a high-pressure gun, he's seemingly inperceptible to pain and those eyes and small smile framed in forementioned weird hairdo cut could easily gave a sensation of uneasiness to those who watch. And clearly, the full-house theater had this common appreciation that every time - every frickin' single time - he appears on screen, you could hear people gasping and say 'ooohhh..'. He's the star of this violent drama about three characters that involved in an Mexican drug deal went wrong. Llewelyn Moss (a highly memorable Josh Brolin) an ex-welder, a Vietnam veteran (by veteran i means he's been there. He was a guy of mid-thirties in the film) went hunting, and he stumbled upon a drug deal went wrong. He leaves the drug behind and took a suitcase full of money. The owner of the money, Chigurh, of course, wants it back. And a local sheriff (venerable Tommy Lee Jones) drawn into the drama because the deal has been done in his territory and Chigurh had killed practically everyone he met in his territory.

The film won't be my most favorite Coen brothers work, at least yet, (the honor would still goes to The Big Lebowski), but it was certainly their better effort for the last several years (compared to Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers, that doesn't say much, actually). Moreover, this film also added itself to my shortlist of the best film of 2007. Did i say that this year has been a very good year for film? Well, I believe i did.

The Coens (i believe it was Ethan who is invovled more in the writing area) were a great storyteller. The way they introduces one after another character without really over-describes each of them, interweaving with the storylines, provides us with some sort of involvement and teasing to the game these characters playing. Take Chigurh for instance. Who is he? Who is he, really? We saw him caught on the road by a deputy, and before we even get his name or his purpose in the fiasco, he killed two men already. One with a choke, and the other via his wicked-weird weapon of choice. Or, our alleged protagonist, Moss. We learnt about his past only in a fragment of conversations with strangers. Both were introduced in a similar but entirely different manner. Chigurh easily killed a man with a single stroke, but Moss couldn't even killed a deer. From here we could see the difference between the two. And it should've been no doubt who'd you put your money on should they engaged in a combat. In a way, most of the characters in this film, including Tommy Lee Jones' had their own shares of past, and each would only shared their past with us, the audience, not unlike that of a bar-conversation over the half-empty glass of beer with a total stranger.

The film was quiet, almost no soundtrack playing, and the characters really doesn't have much to say to anything. But the unmistakable tension was there. However, as usual, the way Coen brothers choose to conclude the film might be a turn-off for some. For me, after the initial head-scratching and "what the f*?" moment, i was smiling whole-heartedly and again applauded the brothers for their geniuses. Nobody would've done the film in a way they did with the No Country for Old Men. And like it or not, it's brilliant.

Jiffest 2007: A Mighty Heart (2007)

This is strictly my personal opinion. But i think that A Mighty Heart (based on a true story) might be this year's most pretentious and overrated film. Care to correct me? Read on.

Meet Angelina Jolie who is now tried to act as Mariane Pearl, a dark skinned, half French - half Cuban, with curly brown hair, and an accent that well, doesn't freed her of her usual Jolie-ness. Not with that signature lips of her. Anyway, She is a journalist and with her husband, Daniel Pearl, a fellow journalist, they live in Pakistan to pursue interesting news. Mariane was pregnant and the entire film devoted to the event of Daniel kidnapping, and how Mariane, and several other people tried as they might to locate Danny. Thus, the title A Mighty Heart could easily refers to how our Mariane had a mighty heart while waiting any news whatsoever about Danny's whereabout.

However, i feel that the title itself was misleading. Tried as i might to look, i couldn't find any mighti-ness in Mariane's heart or in overall of the film. Ironically, somewhere in the film, where she did an interview with CNN, one of the crew commented that she doesn't look like one whose husband was missing for six weeks. Excatly the point. I found that the film spent mostly on Mariane's team's effort to locate Danny, piecing clues of Danny kidnappers rather than contemplating on Marine's emotional side or feelings that should entitled her to a definitive mighty heart as the title suggests. Further, i had an utter complete lack of interest to all the ordeals involved with the search for Danny kidnappers (probably becuase i know what would happen to Danny, but that's not really the case), most likely because the way Winterbottom chooses to present this film with a touch of semi-documentary flavor. It would seems to me that the filmmakers tried to spark a controversy, riding with the infamous event of 9-11, about how the Pakistani's Islam left-faction terrorrizing the foreigners, especially American. Well, i say, aren't we had too many of that kind of things already? I don't know about anyone, but i really really tired with these kind of films. Worse, the film constantly reminding us by playing the adzan scenes over and over again when jumping between scenes. Come on, we know already that Mariane is in Pakistan, that Mariane is amongst the muslims community, that inevitably she had a target's mark on her back simply because she's an American. You don't have to remind us every time, it grows tedious and boring quickly, you see. Alas, when i tried to return my attention to Mariane, i found nothing that could gave me more sympathy with her. Therefore, when the film reaches its conclusion and we had a treat of breakdown a la Mariane, to me, it was more agonizing and annoying than anything. Ah, probably it's just me, and probably i had seen too many films that day. But, i wouldn't stand corrected. I didn't like the film.

This film ultimately lengthen the list of Angelina Jolie's films that didn't amused me a bit. As much as i liked her as a person (since she is a humanitarian an all), i had never seen her worthy enough to mention as an actress. Oh, i do like to give her a chance. But, if you happen to know the film in which she performs moderately well, above average that is, let me know, i may haven't seen that film. I could see her as a vixen, a seductress, a youngsters with a passion, but as an average wife who had to deal with the anguish of not knowing the whereabouts of her beloved husband? From what i've seen in this film, i couldn't believe it.

When the film ends, i sit for a while at my seat while the lights brighten and the seats were emptied all around me, contemplating about why i didn't like the film. I may wanted to look deeper to search for forgotten clues that may changed my prespective on the film. However, I couldn't find any. So i sighed, get off of my seat, went to the men's room, and ad libbed what would now, become this very written words.

Jiffest 2007: Into the Wild (2007)

Into the Wild. Film review. I've heard nothing but great things about this film way before the festival. Be it the praise for Sean Penn or for the overall of the film itself, it was ever hung in there, ever present. And with all those praises, this film might well be one of the best film in an already very very good year of film.

However, i proceed into the film with cautious manner. Because even if it had already harvested many praises from critics and general viewers alike, based from what i read of the synopsis of the film, it was a rather straight-forward road trip to adolescence. A young boy gets fed up with life and decides to leave everything behind, into the wilderness solitude to look deeper into the meaning of life. And Sean Penn hasn't been giving anything worthy to remember in the acting department (his last film that i saw, All the King's Men, left me embarassed with his acting) for a couple of years.

Based on a true story, young Christopher McCandless - the link may contain spoiler to the film - never liked his life. He felt that going into college was more of an obligation to his parents rathern than a choice. Therefore, when he had completed his college, he donates all his saving (a hefty sum of 24,000 dollars) and left his family and all life he has known to escape, escape Into the Wild, so to speak. I had guessed that somehow in the road, he met with someone old enough to be his grandparent that later shares his wisdom and shares his belief. Therefore, i hadn't expected anything much. I was wrong though, he did met someone old enough to be his grandparent. But he was only one of many new people he met in the road and each of them had in a way shared their belief and wisdom to young and angry Chris. I was drawn into the film, and blown that i trickled a tear at the end and even went as far as giving the film a standing ovation - which looks stupid, by the way, since i had seen the film alone.

The film ran long. 140 minutes. But it sucks me in, and ever growing into me, magnified by beautiful landscapes that looks more like a spawn from an episode of National Geographic. Chris had decided to go to Alaska where he found an abandoned bus - which he later called, 'magic bus' - in the middle of nowhere. While he enjoyed his freedom and trying to survive in the wilderness, he recounts the events that had happened for two years after he graduates, ran away, and found the 'magic bus'.

I'm not entirely approve of Chris' decision to ran away from his parents after he has fulfilled his 'duty' by graduating the college (an egoistic point of view, if you asked me). However, i had not also entirely approve or sympathize with the parents. For me, it's like a tug-of-war between the two. And i couldn't decide whence my sympathy lies even after the film had ended.

Further, i think that Chris had undergone a journey we all ought to take, and probably, unconsciously had been doing for all of our life. A journey to seek for a purpose, and further a happiness. Chris' last inscribe in the film (which quite probably could easily become one of the most memorable quote from the film) had implicitly said that he had done so and had finally found his.

Into the Wild was also richly casted. Led by Emile Hirsch who drove Chris' character greatly and superbly, his growing emotions (and physically reformation from a cutish boy to a grown haggard man in a matter of 140 minutes) were clearly shown. Catherine Keener was lovely, as always. And Vince Vaughn, man, i love this guy! Who wouldn't? A talented comedian who never overdid himself (*cough*Jim*cough*Carrey). And Hal Holbrook who was giving the warmest performance in the film. But most of all, since quite probably that 70% of the film relies on Hirsch's shoulder, all the attentions would be deservedly went into his direction. I'm not surprised if he gets nominated in acting at the awards. Although of course, i'm also in a firm opinion that should anyone get recognized for their acting, it should've gone to Hal Holbrook.

I could see how the film garnered good reviews all over the world. Because simply, it is a great film. Combining the youth in search of adolescence genre and a road trip genre, the film doesn't think of itself too importantly, and Sean Penn manages to balanced things between the two, weaving a story that creeps and grows into you, and since i'm eligible to call myself a youth, i would say that as a youth, this film sparked my dull thought. As if with watching this film, i found a long lost buddy whom i called 'passion'. Yet another possible entry to my list of best film in 2007. Well well, this year really is had been a very good year in film.

I went immediately to see A Mighty Heart (with Angelina Jolie after seeing this film. And probably because of the length of this film and how i'd reacted to it, the film (A Mighty Heart) might not deserved my review. Because some of the guy i know i loved it, yet, i found almost no love toward it.

Jiffest 2007: 4 Luni, 3 Saptamani si 2 Zile (2007)

Or, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days is a Romanian film which had won this year's Cannes Film Festival's Golden Palm, and could be well through to win next year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. What best to describe the film was probably the word 'disturbing'. Depressing is another. In short, the film was dreary and bitter to taste. But that of course, doesn't mean that the film was lifeless and unenjoyable. I found it as yet another one of the best film i've seen in 2007. It just not a film for everybody.

Otillia and Gabita is two friends, they were roomate in a student's dorm somewhere in Romania during the final days of Commnunism in 1987. Beforehand, I know that the film was about pregnancy of sort. A 4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days old pregnancy to be precise. But the way the film weaves itself, nevertheless, put me in a sort of state of confusion by guessing here and there about when the film would actually started. It worth the shot though, when finally the film reveals the reasons behind Otillia's wandering all over town looking for a hotel and an unknown man, i was taken by delight surprise about the difficulty and the mounting problems with the authority when one did an abortion. From there on, it was all Otillia's. And it was easy, so easy to sympathize with what she must have gone through. Even if the one who did an abortion was Gabita. Not Otillia.

I liked the Christian Mungiu's way of shooting static scenes. Oft at times the camera just point in one angle and didn't move for several minutes. The approaches were daunting especially, in my perspective, where Otillia did her monologue (she was in fact doing a dialog with Gabita, but all we see was Otillia's expression, close-up). I could see her trembles, start to falling down, but eventually manages to grip to her last sane crevice and found her strength. The scene where Otillia had a family-dinner was also a great scene. Otillia by the way, was portrayed by - i believe, a Romanian actress, correct me if i'm wrong here - Anamaria Marinca who was magnificent and gave an all-out performance that surely would be remembered by those who seen the film.

It was a wonder, actually, because you see, Otillia did almost everything to help Gabita. And we could see that she was the one who suffered more from the ordeals. I mean, check the final bathroom scene! If it didn't at least sparked your anger toward Gabita, do let me know. While Gabita, almost didn't do anything helpful. In fact, what she had 'thought' would be best for her, turns out ruining their plan instead. I was wondering how come Otillia who could easily walk away and didn't look back, thus saved her from the prospect of dealing with the authority, would willing to sacrifice so much to help Gabita, who was - perceptibly - ungrateful, weak, and could be easily imagined as one who would walked away without a moment hesitation should their positions were reversed. I had thought that the film tried to unwind the strength of friendships among women. But is it really all? And finally, when the film abruptly ends, and i had to stare at the black blank screen several seconds before the end-credit rolls, i suddenly realized, that an abortion is never a thing to take lightly, and i was realizing that what Otillia did to Gabita, sacrificing all and more, was somekind of an atonement, somekind of a redemption, somekind of an understanding, somekind of woman's empathy, that us, men, could never really understand. But Otillia understood, she felt Gabita's pain, and probably more. I personally thought that at the final scene of the film, Otillia looked more disturbed, more than Gabita. Even if the fact still remains, Gabita did the abortion. Not Otillia.

I'm not very good at words, nor i'm practically able to capture Otillia's feeling in written words for that matter, thus, any word i used to describe her feeling won't do her justice. Otillia's journey and feeling would be best if you experience and observe for yourself. And maybe, if you're a woman, you could really describe her feeling. All i know is, that hers was already strong enough to drawn me in sorrow and contemplation.

One of my best in 2007? Probably, this year's harvest has been good. Really good.

Badly Written Reviews

When one decides to express one of his feelings toward something with utter clarity and could be read (or heard) publicly, one should be prepared to face with the turmoils sparked from the difference between the expressions written (or spoken) from the author (or speaker) and other's who reads or listens to it. In my opinion, that's the way free-speech should've worked. But of course, we're living in a world where ideals are often ignored. There'd be times when you just can't accept other's opinions because simply you refused to acknowledge the truth behind what (s)he said or because you had a firm opinion that you are right and therefore everybody else is wrong, and they should know that. Oh, i was guilty at that as well. More than once, i simply ignored one's opinion because i thought that (s)he was a lesser person than me. Although, of course, i was wise old enough to not making any attacking comments on other's opinion should i felt that his/her opinions are an utter rubbish.

In short, not everyone like Jan Doense who surprised me earlier today by making a comment in this blog under the post where i was straight-forwardly bashed his short work, Ver Weg. I wouldn't change my opinion, though. That would be a lie. But, had i the one whose hard works bashed by a complete stranger who did nothing but talk, there's a fair change that i would be furious. His complete respect toward my opinion merely shows that he's a greater man than i. Well, anyway, i think it could be said that, the bashings, the indifferences, and the harsh critics were what should've been expected by someone whose line of works requires pleasing others, such as writers, painters, and for a man like Jan Doense, a film director. Now, that makes me wonder, how would Uwe Boll, a generally agreed one of the worst film directors working today would react to critics which as far as i know, hasn't been really kind to him and his works?

But again, not everyone like Jan Doense.

For one, i'm writing a review as a hobby. English is clearly not my mother's tonuge language, and i had no background whatsoever on a film-making theory et cetera. I merely wrote what i felt toward a film. And true enough, that sometimes i based my dislike to a film upon a simplisistic and rather ridiculous reasons. There's no two men alike. Even if they had been identical twins, some difference ought to sprout. And again, i merely wrote reviews as i see it, based on my own reasonings and taste, and more or less, as a hobby and to hone my writing skills. Afterall, these guys whose i aimed my reviews at, had achieved something that i had only dared to dream for a very long time. Film-making. In a way, now that i think of it, i only made a fool out of myself by pretending that writing reviews would take me somewhere. Somewhere i had wanted for a long time.

Anyhoo, it's clear that my writing style needs to be re-worked. For instance, i felt very very guilty that i had used the word 'terrible' a couple of times when i reviewed Ver Weg. No, really, Mr.Doense, i want to apologize. I would tried to soften the word and adding several more literary words into my vocabulary next time i wrote a review.

Oh, and it's Friday already, already got a weekend booked by films as the 9th Jakarta International Film Festival (Jiffest) kicked-off tonight. Gotta get home earlier today, grab some quality rests, as tomorrow and Sunday, promises a loooonnnngggg day. Expect the Jiffest reviews starting next Monday.

Screamfestindo 2007: Pathology (2008)

Okay, the "surprise movie" for the festival is .. drum rolls please, ... Pathology. A world premiere he said (true enough, because the film would be released at the US on February 8th, 2008). When the film was announced (of course, in 'cryptic' clues, clues that involved Peter Petrelli being mentioned), i was not excited nor disappointed. Because really, i hadn't expect anything, and with the previous films i had seen during the festival, i wasn't too hyped about the surprise thingy anymore. But it turns out that Pathology is an okay experience.

What if a bunch of medical students on a some kind of internships at forensics dept, whose expertise was used to determine the cause of death of suspected murder in a daily basis decides to do a little game where one of them killed anyone in random and the other tried to determine what method did the killer used to do the killing in order to search for the mythical purrfect murder.

Dr. Grey (Milo Ventimiglia) is the name of our hero. He just arrived in town and on a dawn of his first day at the job. He was a bright young doctor and quickly nudge head with the group who were not unlike that of high-school bullies. This group was clearly having fun in their job, they enjoyed opening people's body, removing organs from their respective places, and ultimately, they were enjoying in their little game.

Dr. Grey drawn to this group, and even later participated in their so-called game with justified sense of justice even if it sounds ..well.. justified and forced. However, before long, he was spared from the madness that evident to this group through his fiancee (Alyssa Milano) and her family family. But of course, the leader of the group, Dr. Jake (magnificent Michael Weston) was reluctant to let him go, and so the tension ensues.

Milo Ventimiglia, altough he never really gets out of that walk ever since his role at Gilmore Girls, gave a memorable performance. The couple of twenty-something years old girls beside me even squirming in small controlled histeria (which eliminates the probability of the girls being teenagers) when he first appears on screen. There's even a respectful moment i've felt inside me toward his character just about the end of the film when he's doing an autopsy by himself. The scene was probably a single most beautiful scene in the film.

However, i felt the film was a little bit dragging at the middle. I was very much distracted with several sex scenes, and hardly approve with it (i'm still a man, but a moviegoers as well, and i say, the sex scenes were too much. Way too much). I felt that it was more of an obligatory from the film-maker and merely deluded the entire taste of the film which otherwise would be a more pleasant experience than a simple okay.

The film was rated R, obviously, with such vivid display of autopsy processes to made gore-fans happy (including disembowelment, cutting internal body organs, and so forth), murder, drug uses, and sex. But it was fun, and i could appreciate the overall film in general. If only they reduced the amount of sex scenes which i feel a bit too much than it should be.

'The Dark Knight' Teaser Poster

Batman. The Dark Knight. Teaser Poster. Oh, you see it coming. You definitely see it coming. I've been fascinated with Batman even when Adam West donned the grey cape. And with The Dark Knight coming closer and closer, thanks to relentless marketing campaign from Warner Bros., the tension only mounted ever higher. However, the teaser poster, though clearly shown what we'd expect next - Um, it's Joker? *rolls eyes* Of course it is, it's hardly a secret, ever since Batman Begins three years ago -, it was rather too ordinary to my taste. Oh, but still, The Dark Knight was clearly one of the most anticipated film in 2008. In my case, i wouldn't give anything to forestall the first hand experience should the film hit the local theater.

Further, to ante up my incredulous apprehension to the man in black - minus the nipple-suit - i decided to put up a tag, niftily named Batman in this blog (as if anyone would care. um, well...).

Screamfestindo 2007: Vexille (2007)

Vexille. Film review. I hate noisy films. Films that were literally infested with soundtracks. Not any soundtracks per se, but more of a soundtrack that mostly consists of techno, trance, or any electronic loops kind of thing. You know, those night-club musics thingy where you'd go to get drunk and get laid? Those kind of things. Sounds vauge, but i'm sure you get my point. For all it's worth, Vexille was infested with these kind of soundtracks, and at 110 minutes, it went from awe - the overall animations were cool and catchy to look at - to boredom rather quickly.

At 2067, Japan was proved as the world dominance in robot technology. They built magnificent robots either for domestic or war-machines purpose unparalleled by any other countries. This prompt the UN to propose a restriction regulation regarding robot industry (not unlike those regulations with nuclear power). Japan was naturally declined, and even went as far as pulling itself from the UN. And when the tension reached its height, Japan isolates itself from the world. This means roughly, that no signal, electronic or otherwise, were able to in and out of Japan territory without scrambled. The satellite surveliences were rendered useless, foreigners deported, and shortly afterwards, the world have no idea whatsoever what happened inside of Japan.

Vexille is the name of one of the seven agent sent by - who else? - the U.S to infiltrate Japan in order to unveiled the mystery that was going on inside Japan.

I found it rather contradictory. The world feared Japan for its advancement in technology. Yet, everybody in this film speaks fluent Japanese. Be it Americans, Africans, even physically portrayed sheiks. But, that was a side note anyway. I found myself quickly losing interests nevertheless.

Otherwise, the film was 'safe'. The heroes and heroines were typical of Japanese manga and anime. They're cool, calm, and confident. If you've read many mangas or seen many animes, you know exactly the types. But like it or not, there's always such thing called 'too many' in just about anything. And if it comes to 'too many', it rarely meant a good thing. I simply had passed beyond the point of 'too many'.

And, what the? Vexille had a relationship with Leon - yet, another typical Japanese 'cool' hero name -, the leader of the team. It was soo unprofessional. And more than once you'd see Vexille looking in awe and affection to Leon. I rolled my eyes upward everytime she did that. I mean, it was a common rule that no marriage or relationships were allowed between workers in a same division. Come on. It was sooo unprofessional. Quite probably, I had decided to hate the film right away, when it displays the affection between Vexille and Leon. This implies that of 110 minutes of running time, i had to suffer for roughly 105 minutes. Give or take.

Screamfestindo 2007: El Orfanato / The Orphanage (2007)

El Orfanato. Film Review. There's a visible difference about a film that was produced by and a film that was directed by. Even if the producer and the director were the same guy, the results would never be the same.

El Orfanato was produced by one of my favorite film-maker, Guillermo Del Toro, and i had expected that the film would at least be in a par with his other works. Oh, the film was great, and even better than some of Del Toro's works, but there's something undeniable that i didn't get what i had expected. It's like you went into your favorite restaurant in order to eat the food prepared by your favorite chef, only to taste something similar cooked by some other chef. The food was still good, but it's not the same, and probably the restaurant manager won't admit that it wasn't prepared by your favorite chef. But somehow you knew. It won't stop you to coming back to the restaurant another day, though. But you knew, that on that particular night, you were being cheated at.

Okay, with that being said, Indonesian film-makers, this is how you should make a horror-film. Learn from it.

Laura grows on an orphanage. She was adopted when she was just a child, but years later when she had married and had a child, she went back, bought the orphanage, and intended to use the house as a good cause. Just like the orphanage but more to an orphanage for a mentally-special children. But before she did her noble cause, Simon, her son, her adopted son, anyway, had started to made new 'friends' and shortly afterwards, after the emotional dispute between the two, Simon is missing and Laura had to wind back into her past, into her time when she grew up in the house in order to find Simon.

Unlike most horror-films, the film doesn't relies on sudden movements, flashing shadows, nor a shaking camera to make you squirm in your seat. The camera was slow, and steady in movement, and never deliberately shakes which i'm grateful. Oh, there's some 'boo' moments that intended to made you jump from your seat. In fact, one of the 'jump' scene caught me off-guard and made me really jump out of my seat. There's one particular scary moment on the film, but not one that could give you nightmares, it's rather a kind of moment that similar to the feeling when you ride a rollercoaster and prepares for the first dive. It works terrifically well. And the film ends in a great note, an ending that both sad and happy, an ending that feels right, logically and emotionally. This review may not sound hopeful. But really, i had kept the amount to minimum merely because i don't want to spoil the fun of watching it. Believe me, it is.

The film wasn't free of faults though, I found that the film rather jumpy between scenes during the first hour, with too many black-shift-editing to my liking. But, just like a rollercoaster ride i mentioned earlier, the amount of tension was slowly but steadily rising, and when Laura decides to stay alone in the house, that's when the fun really starts to roll. And there's nothing, not even the heart-breaking ending could stop it.

This might be one of my best film in 2007 so far. Probably at a third spot, tied with Knocked Up, below Lust, Caution and The Bourne Ultimatum. But of course, with Persepolis, Into the Wild, There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men and I'm Not There, still waiting, i had a reasonable doubt that the film won't last long in the third spot.

Screamfestindo 2007: Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (2007)

Quick report on this film. Shock factor? Nil. Gore and blood? Ignorable. Scream? Nada. Oh, wait, there's one scream that i had. It said, "give me back my money!!!"

I am not an expert in film techinques, but at least i've got an opinion and i'm intended to voice the opinion by stating that i believe, there's at least two techniques in making a horror-film. Character driven, and plot driven. And since i've been said often, up to a point where i'm regurgitating, that i had a certain inclination toward drama, it's easy to see which kind of horror suits me.

Again, i'm not an expert nor i'm claiming to be one. But, Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door is the one that i would put in a character-driven horror film. Okay, i was wrong and being generous in both account. This film had no character at all, and to call this film a horror, a thriller, or even a comedy, would be an insult. Oh, yeah, it is that bad.

First thing first, i had put this film into a character-driven stuff because even before you sit in the theater, you already knew what fate is going to fell on poor Meg (Blythe Auffarth. Therefore, i had wanted this film to at the very least let us glance deeper into Meg. But the film doesn't allow me to at least able to pretend that i'd care about Meg. Heck, i've got more feeling toward poor Itchy (or was it Scratchy?) in the Simpson's infamous cat-and-mouse cartoon than to Meg. I was so disinterested that when they begin to torture the poor girl, i yawned. No feeling at all.

Based on a true story of Sylvia Likens, the film depicted the torture and subsequent killing of Meg a young girl who just moved in to an unnamed urban city with her aunt through the eye of Danny, the girl's aunt Ruth's neighbor boy. But the torture didn't even begun before long. I had glanced frequently to my watch, shifting uncomfortably (from boredom not from excitement), and fighting the urge to sleep. Worse, i feel like watching It - the film, not the novel - in a way that these child actors were sooo terrible it's painful to look at. Meg had a crippled sister, Susan (Madeline Taylor). But her emotions were flat. Even when she saw the torture of her 'beloved' sister. Watching her it's like watching a static on a TV. Boring and hurtful to your eyes. The other child actors were much the same. Even worse. The dialogs were also too smart to my liking, rather unbelievable that some kid just in their teens had uttered them. It gave an undeniable impression that these kids memorize the dialog. And it's a bad, bad, impression.

When the film unceremonously arrived to its final conclusion, i didn't waste my time to get off of my seat. And that's when i heard the scream within me. "Give me back my money!!!!".

I had wondered wether the cencorship had extended their long hands and cut the film extensively. Because really, i had expected some graphic and ultra-violent torture but i've got nothing. Ah, probably i was asleep all the time.

Screamfestindo 2007: Ver Weg (2004)

Just before the screening of Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door, the event organizer had a 'surprise' short-film to be screened to us. It was titled Ver Weg, and it was about a couple of astronaut on a mission to space (probably at Mars) and having this kind of virtual reality glasses attached to them so that they could pretend that they were home, with their wives and kids, instead of on a bland red planet. It was terrible. Luckily, it runs only six minutes. However, the terrible-ness of the film was overshadowed and probably forgiven because the director of the film, a Dutch by the name of Jan Doense, attended the screening and had a few welcoming words. Even he claims that the film was intended to be meaningless. But there's a meaningless thing that was actually good, and other that merely unwatchable. Ver Weg was in a later category. The event organizer had said that this guy was the one who held the similar fantastic film festival in Netherlands. For twenty-one years. But still, the film (short as it is), was terrible.

Preview of What Would Be and What Would Become

Yet another luxury for me to succumb into a self-indulgence, i want to congratulate myself for keeping the commitment of providing the daily update (working days) to this blog from its first conception sometimes in late October. And since we're unceremonously had arrived in the very last day of November, it implies that no working days in November had passed without at least a single blog entry. It may not sound much, but believe me, it was a huge feat for me as you may observe that some entries are clearly misleading in direction and merely musing on a bullshite. Keeping a day job, burning a midnight oil, keep in touch with the stock and forex market, and writing a blog, while finishing the books, watching films, playing games, not to mention keeping my relationship strong, is rather too much and sometimes took its toll. But really, i've been enjoying myself, and gave me some sense of accomplishments.

Now, December looming, and here's what would be and what would become on December.

Screamfestindo begins last Wednesday night, and i had planned to go home on time today, and attend a few screenings. Aside from that, i've got tickets ready for Saturday and Sunday festival time. Expect the first week of December to be littered with blog posts from the festival.

The ninth Jakarta International Film Festival begins the week after Screamfestindo, and would go on until the 3rd week of December. So, expect the second and third week of December with blog posts from the festival.

And afterward? I'm going to take off for a holiday. I'm going home on December 19th, and won't be back until December 27th which of course, a mere days away from a New Year.

Enjoy your monstrous weekend, and thank you for the attention.

Bringing Down the House

This post was intended to mean as a review to a book, Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions by Ben Meizrich. However i had written several words of contemplation to my youth long gone before really proceeding with the book.

Math is a magnificent subject. And i'd like to have a privilege of self-indulgence (i wrote this post, anyway), by saying that back in a High School, i was pretty good at Math. Well, actually, Math is the only subject that i really cared about back then. I was practically terrible at Biology and Chemistry, often relies to memorizing things rather than to understand things, I was especially good at English, doesn't cared much about Bahasa or any other social studies for that matter. Just so-so at Physics (in fact, i only cared - and subsequently, aced - when it comes to Mechanics). But, i was pretty good at Math. But of course, you know how it is in High School. There's a certain myth that if you're good at Math, then you're good at anything. Seeshh.. Anyway, that kind of myth had propelled my popularity back then. Ah, those days. And i was in a band, playing lead-guitar for a heavy-metal induced band, had a ruffling almost-shoulder-length hair, NEVER carries a bag (my home was a short-distance away from school, carries a bag is not an option. I prefer to carry one universal notebook which i used to write EVERYTHING down, and a pen stuck in my back pocket, i put all of my textbooks at the school's mosque), a terrible but good-runner left defender at soccer game, and an avid PlayStation RPG gamer, in a way, i was a nerd, but unlike those nerds as portrayed by our television. Gah! I detest them!. But, whenever i return to school's reunion, one thing that seemingly stuck in my friend's head about me. A straight-A student. A fuckin' smartest-kid in town (sadly, supported by known fact). I was flustered whenever i heard that comment, since it implies at least two-things that were expected of me. 1) I had a lucrative job, with a bright career ahead of me, and 2) I had a tall, sexy, blond woman who cared about nothing but my wealth as a wife. I was, of course, as of now, had neither.

Anyway, pardon me for jumping back in the lane of time, i just happened to question my direction of life quite often lately. I mean, i had passed my twenty-something birthday a couple of months ago, and i still don't really know what i want, or what i desire. And with the end of 2007 looming ahead of me, i grew anxious about the future even more.

However, there's also often a false misconceptions about what Math truly is among the full-of-spirit teenagers (at least in my time). Many of those i knew often asked trivial questions about how impractical for them to study limits, integrals, number theories, statistics, trigonometry, and so forth. They (i was among them, actually) wondered about how Math is going to help them in their career, in their life, and so forth. In fact, it boggles down to one thing. Practicality.

Bringing down the House - hey, we finally get into the real post - is a book, a non-fiction book about some MIT students who win millions at Blackjack by practicing a simple card-counting method. The book made a reference to Rain Man where Dustin Hoffman's character was a savant who could easily remember cards through six decks, thus improved his odds greatly during a card game.

The card-counting method depicted in this book, is more about a statistical method, improving the odds of a player to win, thus reducing the risk, and most importantly, it relies on a team play with various roles. Spotter who bet at minimums, counting the cards as they did so, and when the count is favorable they signaled another player who bet at maximum, a good actor, and a master at counting cards. The Spotters usually lose, but since they bet at minimum, their losses were much covered with the Big Player whom they signaled in when the play is favorable who bet at maximum. And then some. It was an enjoyable read, if you like to know how to make money quickly by gambling, and had a particular interest in general Math, this book is worth the time reading. But, of course, it's easy to see as well, that the author of the book was not in favor for its reader to try the methods by themself.

The book will soon hit the theater with Kevin Spacey and Lauren Fishburne. And to differentiate from the 2003 film Bringing Down the House (Queen Latifah, among others), the film would be titled '21' which of course mean the highest profitable number in the game of Blackjack.

Contemplating Studio Ghibli

As with TV Series, i'm not too keen on anime (series). More because of the commitment to wait for several hundred of episodes to wait for sometimes tiny and ignorable conclusions. It's a luxury i'm rarely able to afford. Well, anyway, i've always welcomed a single animation film. And Studio Ghibli quickly gets my attention during my still short-lived voyage into the realm of film appreciations.

I couldn't pin-point the exact 'whys' but you could easily marked any of the Studio Ghibli's product. There are some uniqueness that sets Studio Ghibli apart from others, but, really, i was oblivious if i was asked about what differentiates the Studio Ghibli's product from other similar. But the striking uniqueness was there, and it was easy to spot.

I had come to a possession of seven Studio Ghibli's so far, and every single one of the seven was revolved around a girl, and only three of them who has grown beyond the age of thirteen.

Another trait that marked the Studio Ghibli's animated films were its fantastic beasts. I simply love and adore them, be it in the form of huge, furry ball of troll (in Tonari no Totoro, also become the official symbol of Studio Ghibli shown in the above image), or a twelve-legged bus in a form of a cat with malicious grin not unlike that of Chesire cat's (also in Tonari no Totoro), or the simple translucent wood spirits (Mononoke Hime). If anything, these fantastic beasts remind me of the child in me who seen the world as a place full of wonder not some place stink with responsibilities that more often than not were full of shit.

I had initially planned to dedicate a week to contemplate these works in detailed manners. But, in order to so, i need to see them once again beforehands. For this post, i'm gonna list them (according to what i have anyway) in order of my preference.

Omohide poroporo / Only Yesterday (1991)

The review of this film should be close as i just reviewed this film several days (if not weeks, dunno, i forogt) ago, a warm story about a young female who found her love in a magnificent rural modern Japan, it features one of the probably best ending sequence i've ever seen in a film for quite some time. Hm, i need to put some kind of search mechanism here.

Hotaru no Haka / Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

So freakingly depressing. Roger Ebert had said that it was one of the best anti-war film ever made. And i couldn't agree more than him on this. I also had reviewed this film, only years ago instead of months. Based on a novel that was written by the World War II survivor which had intended to be the author's apology as he was blaming himself for the death of his sister. A tear jerking film, i had written that if you're not at least smitten or fighting the urge to cry when you seen this film, then probably you're a heartless bastard. No offense, just an opinion. But really, she made him a 'rice-ball', for dear's sake. Argh, curse the boy with his pride. I hate the brother in this film, really hate him.

Tonari no Totoro / My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe were two sisters. They were moved with their father to a rural Japan in order to get closer to where their mother (who had suffered from TBC) hospitalized. And to these kids, life is of course full of wonders, even the prospect of living in a haunted house doesn't seem to dampen their spirits. Borrows heavily from Alice in Wonderland, the film had heart-throbbing ending sequences where Mei (the younger sister, four years old) is missing and Satsuki stricken with panic and guilt search tirelessly for her.

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi / Spirited Away (2001)

A fantasy that had won the Academy Awards for the best animation, i'm more amazed than the creature creation in this film more than anything.

Mononoke Hime / Princess Mononoke (1997)

Can't remember much of it. I need to see it again.

Houru no Ugoku Shiro Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

I'm not really involved with the story. For me, it's merely an adventurous sequences among beautiful landscapes. Howl doesn't interest me that much, and i even stop caring about Sophie after a short while. If this film had a note, it would be a flat one.

Majo no Takkyuubin Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Kiki is a thirteen year old witch who by tradition must travel to a big city to become a witch in training. She chooses a big city near ocean and started to help the townsfolk by offering delivery service (with her flying broom, that was easy). She met with a young boy, befriended him, grew careless and almost loses her ability, and found solace in a young female artist in solitude. Again, nothing interesting, nothing that make me cares about the characters, and as with Howl's Moving Castle, it ends in a flat note. However, the unmistakenly landscape of Europe (probably France) is beautiful to look at. And at least, it kept me awake.

Knocked Up (2007)

I'm in a strong opinion that there were only three films that qualified for the race of best comedy of the year 2007. Superbad, which i haven't seen, and because there'd be nil chance that this R-rated comedy would hit the local theater, the only option for me right now is to wait for the DVD release, 2 Days in Paris which would be screened at the Jiffest in two weeks time, and the only one that i've already seen from the three, Knocked Up.

The name Judd Apatow might sounds alien to most. But to us, film afficionados, Judd Apatow is already a name with reputation worthy to observe. One after another, the man had raised the bar for comedy films. The 40-Year Old Virgin which in my opinion, doubtless, responsible for sky-rocketing Steve Carrel's name, was one of the best film in 2004. And i'm willing to bet that the same could've been said to Seth Rogen in the future.

Seth Rogen is a Ben Stone a twenty-something slacker who had tried to start a dream with his fellow slackers but too much dreaming and too less working made them merely running in a tread-mill, not to mention that the dream was largely involving watching movies for nude scenes by celebrities (this of course, remind me of someone, who also a twenty-something, who also had dreams of a huge things, but simply too lazy and too angry to pursue, ... that would be me, by the way). While the ever lovely, Katherine Heigl, is Alison Scott, an anchor woman at the entertainment network television on the rise of her career. The two unlikely couple met. And on a wild night, the couple, which in any other circumstances would detest one another (this would especially true to what would Katherine Heigl felt to Seth Rogen, not necessarily vice versa), had an unprotected sex and ended up having a baby which she decides to keep.

For the twenty-something slacker, the probability of having a baby would loomed in a mountain of responsibility. Something that the slacker would found a great difficulty to afford. And for the career anchor-woman on a rise, having a slacker as a potential father to her baby, in addition of actually having the baby itself, would oppose a challenge formidable enough to demand an answer. The film dealt with the unlikely relationship told in a light-hearted and fun manners without being forced in an too over-the-top comedy. And with an added story-line about another relationship (Debbie, Alison sister, with her husband, Pete), the film was (not) surprisingly deep and concluded with a simple message about relationships that worked best when you're able to deal with the difference and not (and i believed so) merely looking for a perfect companion who agreed with you all the time. That would be boring.

The film was rated R. Some gross images and dialogs are bound to be around. I was laughing out loud when the characters talked about the stuffed-animal in the toilet although that was practically gross subjects to talked about, but the expressions were priceless. And i was simply look away when they shoot the birthing scenes. Rather disturbing i say, but again, simply worthy as one of the strong candidate for a best comedy of the year. In fact, the film was not merely comedy, but romance as well, in a way that it touches your heart (i'm not saying that romance is above comedy, but, given the usual dish of comedies we had nowadays, i'd like to think that comedy is one of the easiest film to made. Just put some comic faces, slap him, let him slip, embarass him, drench him in various nasty liquids, and you've got yourself a comedy. However, the actual challenge was to made a comedy that genuinely funny, ironically funny, not merely slapstick-props-and-gags-driven funny. In that sense, comedy is one of the hardest film to made. And Judd Apatow had shown how to made a comedy in that lane. Twice).

Katherine Heighl is solid through-and-out, she was the perfect Alison - Judd Apatow initially went with Anne Hathaway. I say 'boooo...' - beautiful, very very likeable, beautiful, energetic, and did i mentioned beautiful? And Apatow's usual, Seth Rogen, did nothing that is outside his comfort zone. And why does he had to, if he's already apt in that zone?

All in all, this would be my sleeper hit film of the year 2007. My best comedy of the year so far, and one of the best film in the year 2007.

Gotta Love Batman

You gotta love Batman and Warner Bros. for pulling yet another magnificent marketing stint regarding the next Batman films, The Dark Knight. There's already a website for The Gotham Times and the supposedly Batman's next super-villain, everyone's favorite, Joker was at it again with his own version of The Ha Ha Ha Times. If anything, this marketing stint makes me even curious about wether Heath Ledger would be able to shoulder the responsibility of being everyone's favorite villain, Joker. Because really, if we see these marketing stints Warner Bros. has been put us through, it's natural to expect that the Joker would be some kind of mind-fuck freak. A Joker that doesn't hesitate to kill, and laughing while doing so. Brrr... can't wait. Really.

I've Got to See This

This is probably my most wanted film that i wish to see in the year 2007. Ever since i heard of its conception and limited screening in various horror festival via the good guys at Cinematical, i've been on a close watch to the film and had a considerable expectation that the film would be screened at Screamfestindo. Tough luck. But, maybe, maybe, the guys behind Screamfestindo had a keen sense as well and put the film in a Surprise movie. Now, that is when i would rightfully said, more than ever, "it made my day". The image shown here is the second poster of the film, and i liked it way better than the first one. So much that i had decided to dedicate this whole day's post to express my desire to see this film.

Here's a keyword to what the film was about, vagina dentata which in itself consists of two individual widely known items, vagina and dentata. Go figure.

Lust, Caution (2007)

Film Review. Rules are made to be broken. Sadly, due to rules, Lust, Caution won't be competing for this year's Academy Award's Best Foreign Language Film (for the complete reasons of why, check this article), the fact that would further hampered the already questionable quality of these so called Awards. Lust, Caution is simply, in my book, the best film i've seen this year. Even though you have been hearing (probably tired as well) about how i praised The Bourne Ultimatum end on end, it turns out, and i'm proud to admit that i have been wrong, that Lust, Caution is a better film.

One of the uniform measurable quality of a good film is time versus boredom quality. It goes roughly like this, if you seen a 180 minutes film and you hadn't had the slightest idea to look at your watch, there's a good possibility that the film was better than most. On the contrary, if you seen a 90 minutes film and you found yourself glancing at your watch time and again, then there's a good possibility that the film was simply sucked.

Lust, Caution runs a shy minutes from 180 minutes mark. And not even once had i stiffled a yawn. When the film has ended, i look at my watch and surprised that almost three hours had passed. From that quality alone is not a surprise if i had named this film as one of the best film in 2007. If not the very best.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai - one of my favourite Hong Kong actor. Erm, wait, my favourite Hong Kong actor - is branded a traitor by the resistance during the tension of the World War II for his involvement with Japanese who at the moment, occupied the China mainland. Elsewhere, in Hong Kong, a group of Chinese students staged a play that in the end sparked their sense of patriotism. And when the chance came for them to cross path with Tony Leung's character (Mr.Yee), they decided that it would be a good time to do something for their country instead of staging a simple play.

The film told in a flashback manner. At first scene, we see four women playing mahjong at Mr.Yee's residence. This mahjong scene hooked me up right away as one of the three most powerful scenes in this film which distributed well at the beginning, in the middle (when Wang Jiazhi said, "You could've done it three years ago") and in the end (the final on-screen scene of Wang Jiazhi and Mr.Yee). One of the women, youngest and best looking of the group, Wang Jiazhi (Tang Wei), implied that she had something secretive with Mr.Yee who was a married man. All was shown only with glances and body language. They say you could lie easier with words than with gestures, and Ang Lee shown the fact clearly. Wang Jiazhi later excused herself claiming that she had some business to attend to. On her way, she contacted some group who then prepares themselves for a fire-arm outtake. Their intention is clear, to kill.

The film flashback four years prior when Wang Jiazhi is a freshman in a Hong Kong college and later, started their spy-game with her fellow drama students.

Most would believed that Ang Lee is the one responsible in bringing Zhang Ziyi to Hollywood. I wouldn't argue. But if Tang Wei keeps at it, it won't be long before we see Tang Wei in Hollywood. She shines in this film, and giving far better performance than any of Zhang Ziyi ever does. And not because she's doing nude scenes, or she's doing a hot sex scene with Tony Leung, it's hardly important. I have been deluded by the NC-17 rating fact and by everyone commenting that the sex scene is something really worth the wait in the film. In truth, though the scene itself is a necessity, it's more than just a fan-service, it's more of an establishment to the relationship between Mr.Yee and Wang Jiazhi, of what had begin in Hong Kong three years prior through slow seductions.

Though the film runs long, i never had an impression that the film runs slow. The pacing was right, and i was finally able to develop some kind of connections to the characters that i start to really care about them. Thus, the ending scene hit me like a storm wave. Tony Leung is flawless in this film, Tang Wei had left a considerable impression in her first debut, and she's also a beauty which in itself is a plus.

The year 2007 had proved as a better year for films than 2006. And Lust, Caution, so far as i'm concerned, currently lead the pack for the best film of 2007.

9th Jakarta International Film Festival 2007

The 9th Jakarta International Film Festival. December 7th - December 16th, 2007. A couple of days ago, i emailed jiffest's event organizer regarding the event and the full fixtures of the scheduled film to be screened. I received a reply just this afternoon advised me to check their website instead. I grumpily obeyed because really, when i sent an email a couple of days ago, the website had yet received an update since last year's jiffest.

To my delight, the website has been updated.

I immediately checked the membership info. Hm, apparently the membership hadn't opened yet. So i checked the film lists instead.

As a fan of Coen Brother's. No Country for Old Men is of course, automatically, and immediately went into my shortlist. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is definitely another one that went into my shortlist despite its negative reviews, i won't missed any of Cate Blanchett's film. I had hoped that I'm Not There was screened as well, but i think i was hoping a little bit too far.

Into the Wild, Atonement, Persepolis, Sicko, and Bushi no Ichibun were among my list as of now. Probably more, because it's almost 6 p.m right now, the office is almost deserted, and i'm barely able to concentrate. Now if only they would tell me when we could buy the membership for the festival. I would be very disappointed if i run out the ticket for No Country for Old Men. I had really really wanted to see it.

Jumper

Book Review. Jumper told about David Rice, an adolescence boy who forced to be grown before his time when his mother left him in care of his abusive, alcoholic father. In a midst of his stress, he had discovered an ability to transported him elsewhere in an instant to any place as long as he remembered the place exactly. And by discovering so, he decided to leave his dad, went to New York City, and started a new life.

The book make light of the ability by introducing the ability right at the first sentence of the book. From there, the book could be roughly divided into three parts (in my opinion, anyway). Mystery (with a stench of Tragedy perhaps), in which Davy had to start a new life from scratch in New York City with no identity, no money, and no relatives whatsoever. This is the part where i came to hate Davy, since he often spent his time crying, angry, and whining about everything that had happened to him. Although of course, when your Mother left you in care of abusive, alcoholic and had a serious tendency to hit you with a belt-buckle for a slightest mistake father, AND almost got raped by three truck-drivers, you would most likely end up as negative as Davy, maybe worse. However, he had my love when he was shown that he loved books so much that in single scene, at one of his tantrum, he threw the book across the room, only to expressed his regret in doing so later on.

The second part was my favorite, a Drama, in which Davy found a solace in form of Millie Harrison, a college girl three years older than him. It took nearly a third part of the book, in my counting, to give way to a relationship between the two. At the end of this part, there's probably one of the best - if not the best - break-up scene i've ever seen or read in a long while (and i read a lot, seen a lot) that it almost made me cried. I had more connection with Davy in this part, since i saw myself the most clearly in him. He loved to read and often escapes to book to escape the social duties he found dreading and too judging for his taste. I was prefer my solitude as well, and small circle of friends, and often spent my weekend reading or dreaming rather than socializing. Moreover, i saw myself in him as well, in the sense that when he loved someone, he loved her for what she was, a solace, an oasis, close enough but never too close to demanding. Always there for comfort, but never there too much to infiltrate his inner privacy. I could read clearly that Millie Harrison is the perfect girl for him as my recent gf is the perfect girl for me. Therefore, when the break-up scene occurred, i felt Davy's distress, anger, and sadness because i know that that what was going to happen to me when i broke my heart. This part was also when his search for his long lost Mother came to fruition, and later, become the trigger to what would happened in the third part of the book.

Unfortunately, the third part, is the worst of all parts, when the book took into Action/Thriller. I skipped a lot of paragraphs doing the part, skimming his final confrontation with his nemesises (yes, plural) and his Dad. I had high hopes during the second part only to be smashed down by the cliche-ness of the third part. The author doesn't surprise its reader as well, by giving me, us, a nice wrap-up ending that satisfied all major characters. No surprises there, and the book ends in a flat note.

Jumper spawned a sequel which arrived nine years after the first, i just read several first paragraphs of the sequel and had decided to read something else instead. The film version of Jumper will hit the theater at early 2008. Well, actually, the film would only borrow the title and the 'jump' essential, in fact, Steven Gould was writing altogether new script for the film and would largely involving the government-conspiracy kind of thing.

See also:
- Jumper (film)

La Regle Du Jeu / The Rules of the Game (1939)

Film Review. The Rules of the Game (1939)
Director: Jean Renoir
Languange: French
Significance (i.e why i had bothered to went extra mile to obtain the film): Listed as #2 top 1000 film of all time according to They Shoot Pictures Don't They?.

The year was 1939, the place was Paris and a country estate outside of Paris, the surrounding was the wealthy high-society of Paris. The haves and the famous. In short, The Rules of the Game depicted the life of these higher-society, they partying, went out hunting, over-dressed, scurrying over pretentious collectibles, and more partying. The overall pretentation and mood of this 100 minutes film is rather comical and farce. However, the final five minutes was a sharp turn that i hadn't even prepared for its shift given the mood of most of the film.

A little history, this film was initially banned in French on its premieres, Jean Renoir himself had recounted the event that he had seen one of the audience at the premiere lit a newspaper and had intended to burn the theater down. The prints of the film were later destroyed by the French government and later by the Nazi regime. And not until twenty years later, when Jean Renoir search the available copies of the film still available had the film - in one of the most renowned film restoration in cinema history - re-surfaced. The restored film was 111 minutes, and only a little insignificant portion hadn't made into the re-cut.

The film begin with the aviator Andre Jurieux who just land after 23 hours solo flying across Atlantic. However, amidst the popularity and bravado of his journey, he felt hollow because when he landed, his love, the one that prompt him to undergone the peril hadn't even bothered to show. His love was Christine, an Austrian heritage that was married with Robert. Her husband, her maid, and her friends all known about her relationship with Andre. Robert himself had a mistress, Guinevere. Even Christine's maid had a lover beside a husband who acts as a gamekeeper at Robert's estate where most of the film took place. For an unknown reasons, Robert invites his friends and neighbors (including Andre though he knew very well about Christine and Andre, and Guinevere) to his estate, partying, and hunting (in one of the most renowned hunting scene ever recorded on cinema. Believe me, it's haunting, and not because it's dark, or full of ghosts, spooky things, no, the hunting scene had occured at day, and no spirit beings were involved. But the final image of the rabbit, was soo haunting that it was often re-enacted later by many great directors - Robert Altman, for instance).

I was chuckled heartily and often when these nobles, scurrying at other's bedroom, flirting to one another, and shared things they shouldn't. Oh, don't fret. No sex scenes, one or two kisses (one or two, i'm not kiddig), no nudity, even no dirty talks, or meaningful inviting glances. But, the very great thing of this film and of Jean Renoir, that the message was delivered, loud and clear even without those straight-forward explicit scenes. Or maybe these nobles were obeying the Rules of the Game. For instance, you could have a lover, but it doesn't necessarily made you unfaithful to your spouse, et cetera. Now i know, why does those Parisians angry when the film was aired for the first time. Mockery is the very last thing that people needed on a country that was threatened by war. And the film did just so.

And after the infamous hunting scene, came the climax, where literally all hell broke loose. I'm an amateur film viewer, two or three galaxies away from an auteurism, but i love to read, and from what i've read, and i've seen for myself in the film for confirmation, that given the equipment and the quality of production at the time, the final scenes where the camera moved around relentlessly, unfolding and refolding several scenes at once, where the actors, extras, nobles, servants, scurrying about with purposes, partying, chasing one another through corridors, all without seemingly loosing a heart-beat, it was simply a work of a genius.

And finally, the final four minutes, where the film took a sharp turn, and we finally see what are "the Rules of the Game" truly means, and finally, wondering why those who obeys the "Rules" suffers the most.

This film had been taught in film classes everywhere, and it's really worth my money on being #2 in the top 1000 film of all time.

See also:
- Roger Ebert's take on the Rules of the Game (spoilers alert, though very insightful).