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).

Screamfestindo 2007 - Tickets

Yup. Bought the membership for Screamfestindo 2007. After mulling about for about half an hour with the schedule, i had decided to bought five tickets instead of my initially planned ten. Four of the tickets were for films screened on Saturday, December the 1st which require me to be at the theater from noon until shy of midnight. The other ticket is for Sunday, actually more of an obligatory ticket because i had to choose five tickets for the price i had paid.

I bought the tickets for the following movies:

The Girl Next Door. Based on a book which in turns based on a true event about a young girl who went into her aunt after she had lost her parents. There, she was treated unkindly, and what i had meant with unkindly was to the point that the film garnered a negative reviews because of its vivid portrayal of a child abuse (its official MPAA Rating: "Rated R for sadistic torture and sexual abuse, nudity, language and strong sexual dialogue - all involving children."). However, one of my favorite horror film reviewer said that it was horrifying because you know that it was based on a true event, hence you know that it had actually happened. And that was disqueting, and what had made the film horrifying. He said, by the way. I still need to see it.

The Orphanage. Actually, the only reason i was excited about the fest. Official entry for this year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film from Spain? produced by Guillermo Del Toro (one of the magnificent trio - along with Pedro Almodovar and Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu - whose movies, either produced and especially directed, were certainly not going to be disappoint)? Oh, i'm so there. I don't even need to see the synopsis of the film. And its poster was a kick ass. Could this film be 2007's Pan's Labyrinth? I surely hope so.

Vexille. Remember The Matrix? It had an undeniable influence from Japan regarding the theme of machine-infested future. Don't believe me? Check the Animatrix. In my opinion, this anime is a must-see. Sets in Japan 2077, where there's a possibility that machines had their claws tight in our society, and a female agent, Vexille, was sent to investigate. Where The Matrix is the post-appocalypse world, i had guessed - and i really hoped that i had guessed correctly - Vexille is the pre-appocalypse world. The trailer of the film let us see a sneak peek of the quality of the animation and it's beautiful.

Surprise Movie. The event organizer was all shhh-shhh about this 'surprise' film. Some of my friend said that since Beyond Re-Animator was screened earlier, there's a great possibility that this 'surprise' film was going to be the original Re-Animator. However, since Re-Animator was scheduled to screened at the time-slot after this film (which is Saturday, midnight), that would eliminate the possibility. All i have is (probably false) assurance from the ticket-booth girl that i wouldn't be disappointed. I had marked her face and her name that should the film disappoint i would have a good start to hunt her down. Kidding.

The Ordeal. An obligatory one actually. I might not attend the screening because it screened on a Sunday 7 pm. I had picked the film because another one of my friend who claimed to dig horror films (not merely crap-topia Indonesian horrors which he detested earnestly) had recommend this film. I'd see then if our taste in horror films were aligned. And since French horror films that had managed to gain popularity rarely disappoint, this film maybe won't disappoint as well.

Back in the Game

I've got a call this morning (early morning, earlier than i'd love to) from my IT department senior. He was in Semarang at the moment installing Oracle Business Suite at our office branch in Semarang. He's calling asking me how fast am i in building a simple CRUD (Create Retrieve Update Delete, for you unfamiliar with IT) web-application. I had never been good in estimating projects, so i say, quite fast if i'm using PHP and MySQL. He said, can you make it before the day's end? I said, confidently, that i could. So, he sent me an email about the data which would become a base to the said application.

I clocked in earlier today, and checked my email right-away, and there you go, with a quick glance i counted three main tables, with another three identity tables used as constants, and so forth. However, i see my problems looming right from the beginning.

I fired my favorite text-editor and begin typing.

It was simple at first, i began to create a form, blank fields, a button, and some script to handle the queries. I was done in a half-hour for one CRUD cycle. But, as i was more comfortable with PHP (i've never done PHP coding for four years), and everything is starting to come back, AND i was adding another CRUD cycle to the application, i began to twiddle, and suddenly i was absorbed by the design and modularity. I started to separated each functions, and entities into its own classes (as much as you could doing an Object Oriented Programming approach with PHP, that is), and meanwhile, my manager asked for a minute brainstroming (which turns out takes about thirty minutes), one of my friend had bought fresh fruits (rujak) and somehow decided to bring the food at my table to which become a sudden attarction to my other office-mates, my Messenger buzzing with my senior asking about the progress AND proposing new requirements, i was delighted and surprised that i could come up with something like the image shown above this post before the day's end. Of course, the application was still buggy, but if the work order was done correctly, there won't be any misfire results.

I feel exhilarated. I missed the old feeling of having oppressed by deadlines, given a challenge to create something in a small time-frame, and to do something that i know i was better at (at least, better than having to sell a product, for an instance). Is it time for me to get back to school? Well..