A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Plot :

Dito (Robert Downey Jr.) is a successful writer in LA. One day, after being urged by his mother, Flori (Dianne Wiest), and his friend, Nerf (Scott Campbell), Dito visits his childhood home, Astoria NY, because his father has suddenly become very ill. The film switches back and forth between the present and flashbacks with Dito's memories in the summer of 1986.

Dito meets Nerf, and talks with him in a parked car, where they can talk undisturbed, which would not have been possible at Nerf's house. Dito then visits Laurie (Rosario Dawson), his childhood sweetheart, who is now a mother. They only talk through the open window; she does not let him in. Dito finally visits his father, Monty (Chazz Palminteri). Monty used to ignore Dito's feelings, and he didn't want Dito to travel. He is angry at Dito for leaving, and for not returning sooner to visit; he then sends Dito away. Laurie urges him to be a man and come to terms with his father, who was heartbroken when he left. Dito does leave, but returns later, to insist that he take his father to the hospital.

Antonio (Channing Tatum), an overconfident, volatile boy with an  abusive father, eventually kills someone: the Puerto Rican gangmember Reaper (Michael Rivera), as payback for an attack on Dito.

Dito remembers Antonio's younger brother, Giuseppe (Adam Scarimbolo) - reckless, destructive, and possibly insane. In the 1980s, Giuseppe lay on a subway track; in spite of urgent warnings from his brother Antonio and Nerf, that a train was coming, he failed to get back on the platform and was killed.

Mike O'Shea (Martin Compston), another friend of Dito's, was a Scottish boy who dreamt of becoming a musician. Mike and Dito had planned to go to California on a bus. They worked for a gay man, Frank (Anthony de Sando), with a dog-walking business. They went to his house to collect the wages he was slow in paying. At first he did not listen to them, but then he gave them all the money he kept in the refrigerator, more than he owed them and told them to leave town. Shortly after, Mike was murdered by a member of a Puerto Rican gang in retaliation for the murder of Reaper, after which Dito travelled alone to California.

Dito visits the adult Antonio (Eric Roberts) in prison and sees him as a changed man of wisdom. The film concludes with the two of them sitting down in conversation.

Jase's Note :

I bought the DVD during my transit time at Dubai in June-July this year. The synopsis sounds interesting with such an amazing cast like Robert Downey Jr, Shia LaBeouf and Channing Tatum. When I watch the movie it is too much violence with plenty,plenty of f**king word !!! What ever it is Robert Downey Jr, Shia LaBeouf and Channing Tatum has shown a great performance in this movie. The film's narrative jumps frequently between 2006 and flashbacks from 1986 (filmed largely with shaky camera with short shots) with characters occasionally addressing the viewer. I also like the last phrase by Ditto  Montiel, " I the end, just like I said. I left everything and everyone. But no one...no one has ever left me."

Wayang... Wayang...

Lewat beberapa minggu ini bayak juga filem yang saya tonton di rumah. Ketika 'posting' ini di tulis sebenarnya saya sedang menonton 'The Fighter' lakonan Mark Wahlberg dan Christian Bale. Bukan sekadar filem berkenaan peninju yang didasarkan kisah benar tetapi juga tentang perhubungan kekeluargaan dan setiakawan. Yang pastinya lakonan kedua pelakon tadi sebagai adik beradik memang mantap dan hebat.

Pagi tadi pula saya sempat menonton Blitz lakonan John Statham. Mengenai 'Cop Killer vs Killer Cop'. Meskipun selalunya filem kepolisian dari Britain agak membosankan tetapi saya agak teruja dengan penamat filem ini. Masih belum terlambat untuk menonton.

A Barefoot Dream, sebuah filem Korea mengenai seorang bekas pemain bola sepak Korea yang memulakan perniagaan di Timor Leste yang akhirnya membawa kejayaan gemilang kepada pasukan kebangsaan bawah 12 tahun Timor Leste juga amat memberi kesan.

Aduh...!

Mengejar Matahari

Saya mencari sesalinan VCD mahunpun DVD Filem ini. Jika da sesiapa yang memilikinya bolehlah menjualnya pada saya. Ini adalah antara filem terawal lakonan Fauzi Baadila yang juga mendapat pujian hebat daripada pengkritik filem.

Knockaround Guys

Four sons of well-known gangsters come face to face with their own legacy of violence and betrayal when they travel to a small Montana town to collect a large sum of cash.

Plot :
Matty Demaret (Barry Pepper) is the son of a mob boss, but he is used as little more than an errand boy. His relative and friend Chris (Andy Davoli) shares this urge to be part of something bigger, and Matty finally convinces his father to give him a job, with the help of his father's right-hand man Teddy (John Malkovich). Matty and Chris get their friend Johnny Marbles (Seth Green) to fly up to retrieve a bag full of money for Matty's father Benny "Chains" Demaret (Dennis Hopper), as there have been mysterious shortages in their money lately.

On the way back with the cash, Marbles stops in a small Montana town to refuel his personal plane. He has been instructed to guard the bag with his life so he takes the bag with him as he goes to pay for the fuel. However, Marbles sees the sheriff & his deputy and is paranoid that they may question him about the bag's contents. Marbles is also in possession of cocaine which he dumps on the runway. He drops the bag amongst a pile of luggage waiting to be loaded onto another flight, and despite telling the cashier to keep the change, the other flight takes off before he can retrieve his bag. Unknown to him, the bag of money was taken by two local teenage pothead skateboarders who work as baggage handlers at the airport.

He calls Matty and tells him the news. Matty, though upset, knows that he must fix the situation quickly and quietly if he ever wants to work for his father. Matty, Chris, and their friend Taylor (Vin Diesel) fly to the small town of Wibaux, Montana to help Marbles search for the missing money.

While in town, Matty and the other guys attract the attention of two local law-enforcement officers (Tom Noonan and Shawn Doyle) who find out about the money and want to keep it for themselves. The mob guys then try to negotiate with the officers to get the money back but are turned away. Matty calls Teddy and Teddy arrives in Wibaux with two other mob henchmen. Chris decides to leave for home and disappears. Marbles hangs around in a bar with the two mob henchmen who secretly hate him, while Taylor and Matty wait in their hotel for word from the Sheriff. After taking him outside in a friendly manner, the two mob men throw Marbles to the ground and ask about the whereabouts of the other three. Marbles tells them he doesn't know and the two shoot him several times and throw his body in a trunk.

Later that night, a deal is arranged for the Sheriff and Deputy to meet Matty and Taylor in a warehouse. When they arrive, the lawmen are planning to kill Matty and the others and keep the money, but Teddy and the two mob men show up when Matty and Taylor do and they entire thing turns into a Mexican standoff. Chris arrives and shoots the Sheriff's cousin who came to help the Sheriff, and Matty and Taylor inquire about Marbles. Chris says that he thought he was with them. Teddy gives a signal to the two henchmen and they all fire on Chris who is killed. The Sheriff and Deputy, in the chaos, shoot the two mob men. Taylor then kills both of the lawmen but is shot in the arm by Teddy. Teddy's gun is out and Matty holds him at gunpoint. Matty says that it is Teddy that has been stealing and causing shortages from his father all along. Teddy tries to reload and shoot Matty claiming that Matty doesn't have the guts to shoot him, but Matty kills Teddy. Matty and Taylor get the money and return home.

Casting :
Barry Pepper as Matty Demaret
Andrew Davoli as Chris Scarpa
Seth Green as Johnny Marbles
Vin Diesel as Taylor Reese
John Malkovich as Teddy Deserve
Arthur Nascarella as Billy Clueless
Tom Noonan as Sheriff Stan Decker
Nicholas Pasco as Freddy the Watch
Shawn Doyle as Deputy Sheriff Donny Ward
Kevin Gage as Gordon Brucker
Dennis Hopper as Benny "Chains" Demaret
Andrew Francis as Matty (age 13)
John Liddle as Heslep the barkeeper
Kris Lemche as Decker
Dov Tiefenbach as Teeze
Catherine Fitch as Louise
Ceciley Jenkins as Claire
Jennifer Baxter as Terri
Josh Mostel as Mac McCreadle
Mike Starr as Bobby Boulevard

Nota Jase :
It is a very old movie by Vin Diesel, nearly 9 years old (it is out in DVD Format in 2003, the movie was shown on silver screen in 2002). I bought this original DVD from a sale item at Carefour Alamanda late last year (it is so cheap - only RM7.90 per piece). It quite a good move to watch during your free time (as I got additional in-lieu today). Although it is nothing new offered by Vin but his acting is very convincing (especially the action part and when he advicing Marty not to become mob anymore). Furthermore it is a feel good movie of an happy ending. Two Thumbs for Vin. Is this a new start for me to collect Vin's Movie? Let's time decide...

Dabangg = Fearless

Plot :
Chulbul Pandey, a young boy, lives with his younger half-brother, Makhanchan "Makkhi" Pandey, stepfather Prajapati Pandey (Vinod Khanna) and mother, Naina Devi (Dimple Kapadia) in Laalgunj, Uttar Pradesh. His stepfather is always partial towards Makkhi which constantly angers Chulbul.

21 years later, a gang of robbers steal money from a bank and are counting the loot, when Chulbul (Salman Khan), now a cop, apparently tries to recover the money by beating up the robbers but, it becomes clear later that he keeps the money for himself. Chulbul (who now calls himself Robin Hood Pandey) still lives with his family and does not have a good relationship with his stepfather and Makkhi (whom he bullies at times).

Makkhi (Arbaaz Khan) is in love with a girl called Nirmala (Mahi Gill) whose father, Masterji (Tinu Anand) opposes their relationship. And, Chulbul is in love with a girl called Rajo (Sonakshi Sinha), whom he chances upon during a police encounter.

Chedi Singh (Sonu Sood), (who is the president of the student council of a regional political party called Lok Manch and is a goon), meets Chulbul and tells him that the people he beat up and stole the money from are party workers and that they were getting money for the party. But, he forgives Chulbul on the condition that Chulbul "works for him". Chulbul flatly refuses.

Makkhi asks his father to arrange his marriage with Nirmala, but his father refuses saying that he needs money to repay the loans he took to make his factory so he needs his son to marry a rich girl. Makkhi, in desperate need of money, steals it from Chulbul's cupboard, but is caught red-handed by his mother. He tells his mother that he intends to give the money to Nirmala's father, who in turn will return the money after marriage through dowry. Although his mother refuses, he takes the money and gives it to Nirmala's father.

Meanwhile, Chulbul meets Rajo and proposes marriage. She rejects it saying that she has to look after her father, Haria (Mahesh Manjrekar), who is always drunk and that she cannot marry while he is alive. Chulbul then comes home to find his mother dead. He goes to his stepfather to make peace, as he is the only family left. But, his stepfather says that Chulbul is not part of the family anymore.

Chulbul is then attacked at the railway station by Chedi's men, when he is with Rajo and her father, but, he beats up all of them in a fight.

He sees Makkhi buying new clothes at the market. He doesn't suspect that Makkhi stole the money. Makkhi tells him that he is getting married to Nirmala and invites Chulbul to the marriage. Chulbul tries to convince Rajo's father to give his daughter's hand in marriage to him and to stop drinking. Rajo's father accepts and after Chulbul leaves, he plunges into a lake and commits suicide, as he knows that his daughter won't marry anyone while he is alive. Chulbul takes Rajo to Makkhi's wedding and marries her there. Nirmala's father, Masterji feels disgraced and cancels the wedding.

Makkhi beats up one of the workers in his factory due to a small accident. The worker goes to the police station along with his mother to file a complaint. But, instead Chulbul beats up Makkhi in public, thus disgracing him. Chedi Singh decides to take advantage of the situation and suspend Chulbul. He takes Makkhi and his father to the police station. But, Makkhi's father resolves the situation by accepting an apology from Chulbul. Chulbul meets Dayal Babu (Anupam Kher), the leader of Lok Manch, who also dislikes Chedi Singh. They both come to an agreement to keep Chedi Singh in control. Chulbul adulterates the breweries of Chedi Singh due to which many people fall ill and Chedi Singh is blamed. Chedi Singh is confronted by Chulbul who openly reveals to him that he adulterated the breweries.

To take revenge, Chedi Singh burns Makkhi's factory. Makkhi's father gets a heart attack due to shock and is hospitalized. Makkhi, in desperate need of money for his father's treatment agrees to do anything for Chedi Singh, without realizing that it was Chedi Singh who burnt his factory. Chedi Singh, gives him a task telling him to deliver a crate of mangoes to Dayal Babu's house. But, unknown to Makkhi, there is a bomb in it. After he leaves the house, it explodes, killing Dayal Babu. Chedi Singh gives Makkhi a task to kill Chulbul. Makkhi, knowing that he wouldn't do it, accepts it and meets Chulbul. He confesses to Chulbul that he was sent to kill him by Chedi Singh. He reveals to Chulbul that Chedi Singh made him plant the bomb unknowingly. Chulbul forgives him and reconciles with his stepfather.

Makkhi meets Chedi Singh, who thinks that Makkhi killed Chulbul and reveals to Makkhi that he had killed Makkhi's mother. Chedi Singh is then informed that Chulbul is arriving with a huge police force. Makkhi reveals to Chedi Singh that he didn't kill Chulbul. In a final battle, Chulbul arrives and takes down all the goons and rescues Makkhi. He then kills Chedi Singh in a one-on-one fight after Makkhi reveals to him that Chedi Singh killed their mother.

In a happy ending, Chulbul gets Makkhi married to Nirmala in the presence of their father, while, Rajo reveals that she is pregnant.

Nota Jase :
Saya sedang menonton Dabangg. Filem lakonan Salman Khan. Filem ini adalah Filem yang memperolehi kutipan paling tinggi di India bagi tahun 2010 dan Kutipan kedua tertinggi untuk Filem sepanjang zaman di India di belakang 3 Idioits. Bukan filem dari genre yang saya minati tetapi saya menonton untuk mengenalpasti apakah faktor 'wow' yang membuatkan filem ini pecah panggung di Bollywood. Jika ada yang telah menonton bolehlah berkongsi dengan saya.

Satu Hari Di Estet

Saya sedang menonton DVD Estet hasil arahan Mamat Khalid yang kalah teruk di Festival Filem Malaysia yang baru lalu. Malang bertimpa-timpa apabila Filem ini juga gagal di pasaran, dengan kutipan tidak sampai RM 1 juta.. Namun begitu saya amat menyukai akan garapan Kollywood ala-ala 1malaysia yang dibawa oleh Abang Mamat Khalid dalam filem ini. Filem ini juga berjaya mengimbau kisah masa lalu saya yang pernah menjalani latihan praktikal di dua buah estet di Serdang, Kedah dan Taiping, Perak ketika masih belajar.

Lakonan para pelakon yang di bayangi adegan slapstik juga menghiburkan. Saya juga tertawan dengan kemunculan 'cameo' Rosyam Noor & David Arumugam. Hahaha...

Dapatkan DVD yang Original dalam usaha memartabatkan Filem malaysia yang berwajah kita.

Akulah Sang Pemimpi

Jika aku bukan Sang Pemimpi, sudah tentu telah aku kuburkan harapanku untuk menonton Sang Pemimpi lama dahulu. Mengaku kalah. Setelah filem ini mula masuk ke panggung di Indonesia sekita Disember 2009 dan DVDnya diterbitkan sekitar Ogos 2010, aku cuma dapat menonton filem yang ditunggu ini pada Disember 2010. Genap setahun !!! Itupun setelah titipan sahabat dari seberang yang lewat sampai ke tangan meskipun sudah lama mendarat di Kuala Lumpur. Apa-apapun terima kasih banget pada Tancho (yang bersusah payah mencari DVD ini untuk aku) & Mujes !!!

Sang Pemimpi mengisahkan tentang persaudaraan, persabatan, pembentukan jatidiri, perjuangan untuk mencapai cita-cita dan hubungan pertalian darah di antara seorang bapa demi masa depan anak lelakinya.

Sang Pemimpi membuktikan kepada kita bahawa kita semua tidak kita darjat dan pangkat, bangsa dan warna kulit, tinggi atau rendah berhak memiliki mimpi dan bertekad lantas berusaha untuk mencapainya. Pantang menyerah sebelum kalah.

Sang Pemimpi adalah menifestasi kita untuk memjadi seorang yang berani.

Tidak dapat tidak... aku mahu menjadi Sang Pemimpi itu. (malam ini adalah malam kedua kalinya aku menonton DVD ini)

KAPOWW... Antara Kuasa dan Kekuatan Hati

Semalam saya sempat menonton DVD 'KAPOWW The Ajaib Boy' yang sempat saya beli ketika bulan puasa yang lalu. Lagipun saya sudah berjanji dengan Bell untuk menonton filem ini lantas memberi komen. Meskipun agak terlambat tetapi memang berbaloi akhirnya dapat juga menonton filem ini.

Untuk skala sebuah filem komedi, KAPOWW boleh di katakan gagal di pawagam. Filem Kecoh Betul yang di tayangkan dalam waktu sekitar Mei - Julai 2010 yang lalu di kira lebih berjaya meskipun dari sudut penceritaan, lakonan dan plot KAPOWW jauh lebih baik dan bermanafaat. Antara sebab musabab filem ini mungkin gagal ialah kerana siri KAPOWW di kaca TV kurang memberangsangkan dan mengujakan untuk kita membeli tiket untuk menonton di pawagam !!! Meskipun jika hendak dibandingkan antara KAPOWW Siri TV dan Filem adalah jauh berbeza mutunya.

Saya amat berpuas hati dengan versi filem KAPOWW kerana plotnya yang begitu menarik. Bermula dengan kisah pencarian super hero, budak kampung dengan kawannya yang begitu teruja menjadi super hero dengan aksi-aksi yang adakalanya tidak masuk akal, kisah silam super hero yang dibunuh akibat perasaan dengki super hero lain, super hero yang lupa daratan sehinggalah kepada pengakhiran yang menggembirakan dengan penuh keinsafan. Semua asam garam kehidupan dihidangkan secukup rasa oleh pengarahnya. Tidak seperti super hero 'tajaan' barat yang terlalu 'maksum' tanpa ada cacat cela dan terlalu gagah, KAPOWW menampilkan Super Hero yang lebih bersifat manusia. Berlajar, mempelajari dan menginsafi. Sifat Super hero seperti ini lebih adalah lebih dekat dengan kita sebagai penonton.

Dari sudut para pemegang watak pula, saya kira semua pelakon utama berjaya membawa watak mereka dsengan baik. Bell seperti biasa tidak pernah menghampakan meskipun cuma memegang waka pembantu. Watak Abu SUPERB di tangan Bell. Zizan juga begitu, Atoi amat serasi dengan beliau. Lisa Surihani juga berjaya membawa sisi lain dengan gadis yang bercakap loghat perak. Khir Rahmnan dan Norlia Ghani memang tidak perlu diragukan lagi.

Kebanyakkan filem komedi kita gagal menampilkan mesej secara jelas kerana skripnya agak lemah. Meskipun mereka mengakui menyampaikan mesej positif tetapi ia tidak melekat di hati. Berbeza dengan KAPOWW, saya kira ada sesuatu yang betul-betul menangkap di jiwa apabila nasihat yang diberikan oleh ibu Atoi ketika kali pertama Atoi akan berangkat ke KL untuk menyertai KAPOWW, ibunya ada berpesan yang lebih kurangnya berbunyi "Kekuatan sebenar bukannya terletak kepada KUASA tetapi pada hati". Itulah intipati sebenar kepada filem ini.

Terasa rugi pula terlepas filem ini di pawagam !!!

From Paris With Love

Plot :
A personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France, James Reese (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has an enviable life in Paris and a beautiful French girlfriend, but his real passion is his side job as a low-level operative for the CIA. All James wants is to become a bona fide agent and see some real action. So when he is offered his first senior-level assignment, he cannot believe his good luck until he meets his new partner, special agent Charlie Wax (John Travolta).

Reese's first test is to have Wax released from airport detention by the French Customs when Wax does not want to surrender the cans of his favorite energy drink. Despite the apparent triviality of an energy drink that Wax could probably purchase in Paris, Wax keeps orally abusing French Customs until Reese places a Diplomatic Mail sticker on Wax's luggage containing the energy drink which makes them immune from Customs and Quarantine requirements.

Once in the car, Wax apologises for his behaviour and opens the tins that contain pieces of his personal stainless steel pistol (named "Mrs. Jones") that he reassembles. Reese discovers Wax is a trigger-happy, wisecracking, loose cannon who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack. Beginning with a Chinese restaurant that is a front for a cocaine supply ring, Wax leads James on a white-knuckle shooting spree through the Parisian underworld that has James praying for his desk job. But when James discovers he is a target of the same crime ring they are trying to bust, he realizes there is no turning back...and that Wax himself might be his only hope for making it through the next forty-eight hours alive.

James discovers, the drug-busting mission they set out on is really a mission to trace the money back to a circle of Pakistani terrorists. These Pakistanis are the center of a labyrinth of cocaine and prostitution, and hang around with explosive vests on their tables. Furthermore, their plot is to infiltrate the U.S. Embassy with explosives hidden beneath their burqas.

Ultimately James learns that the terrorists, who he and Wax wiped out mostly, are targeting a summit and that his fiance Caroline (Kasia Smutniak) is one of them. Caroline attempts to suicide bomb the summit while the last remaining terrorist tries to attack the US Motorcade with a car that has a bomb. Wax takes out the terrorist with an AT4 rocket launcher before he can do any damage and James confronts Caroline at the summit. He tries to convince her to stop and is apparently successful at first, but when Caroline reaches to trigger her bomb, James has no choice but to shoot her in the forehead, almost instantly killing her. Wax catches Caroline before she can fall, disarms the bomb and the threat is over. Later, James, now an official agent, escorts Wax to his plane and Wax offers for James to be his full-time partner. The two play a game of chess and James reveals he carries a Desert Eagle Pistol, indicating he is more like Wax now than how he originally was.

Nota Jase :
Telah lama di layar perak namun saya baru berkesempatan untuk menonton DVDnya. Sebuah filem yang penuh aksi dan agak ringan dari segi mesej namun menghiburkan. Saya amat berharap yang Charllie (John Travolta) sebenarnya memegang watak jahat, aleh- aleh kekasih James antara penjenayah (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) pula..:) Epilognya pula seakan ingin membuat sequel, kita nantikan saja.

Boss : The Japanese New Detective Mini Series

General Plot:
This series revolves around a group of peculiar detectives in a new division created to fight against an increase in atrocious crimes. Osawa Eriko is a beautiful career woman who has just returned from training in the U.S. and is appointed as the "boss" of this division. But despite her intelligence and capabilities, she can never understand a man's heart, so she remains unable to find a husband. In fact, her assignment in the U.S. was really a demotion after she ruined her career track over a man. So why was she chosen as the boss of the new division? Even though the detectives are talented, they all have some kind of issue or flaw, and they are considered to be the "problem children" of the police force. In the end, the division's true purpose is just to isolate these problematic detectives.

Nota Jase :
I just finished watching this detective drama late last week after one week bought the original DVD at of of the DVD outlet at ground floor of Wangsa Walk. Yes, I have been following Takenouchi Yutaka since his Beach Boys time. In 1998 if I am not mistaken. It has been quite a while after his last mini series 'Tomorrow' that I watched 2 years ago. My general feeling about this series are some of the case are too complicated yet very easy to resolve. The main charactor, the Lady Boss (Amami Yuki) - centre of attraction played her card well. Like usual Japanese series, most charactors have thier own characteristics that make the series more flamboyant. Quite entertaining good release tension. Takenouchi Yutaka won the Best Supporting Actor in the Japan 61st Television Drama Academy Awards for his role in this series. Boss is currently screening on 8TV every Sunday @ 3.00 pm.

Potret Rendahnya Moral Bangsa Kita dalam Jamila dan Sang Presiden...

Nota Awal :
Sebagai penggemar lakonan aktor berkarisma dari tanah seberang, Fauzi Baadila saya akan cuba menonton semua filem dan sinitron lakonan beliau seboleh mungkin. Saya terpaksa menunggu hampir 1 tahun sebelum dapat filem Jamila dan Sang Presiden ini dalam format DVD kerana filem ini tidak (mungkin) ditayangkan di Malaysia. Terima Kasih kepada Bro Dan & Bung Joko yang telah menghadihakan kepada saya DVD filem tersebut ketika singgahan saya ke Jakarta baru-baru ini. Alhamdulillah penantian yang lama ini 'amat lumayan' sekali kerana lakonan Ojie sungguh memberangsangkan sekali meskipun cuma muncul dalam beberapa babak sahaja. Paling ketara lakonan beliau ialah semasa babak perbualan di dalam rumah dengan adiknya lantaran munculnya ayah beliau dan dituruti oleh ibunya. bersahaja, 'real' dan dengan jelas tampak karektornya berubah.

Sinopsis :
Plot filem ini dimukakan dengan Jamila (Atiqah Hasiholan) menceritakan bahawa beliau adalah korban dari pemerdagangan manusia. Kemudian lewat beberapa adegan, mengenalkan kita dengan kehidupan Jamila sekarang - penuh glamor, kehidupan malam, dan ketidaksenangan batin. Kemudian Jamila menyerahkan dirinya lantas mengaku telah membunuh serorang Menteri bernama Nurdin (Adjie Pangestu) tanpa diketahui oleh seorang lelaki yang cuba mendekatinya, bernama Ibrahim (Dwi Sasono). Ibrahim yang simpati dengan Jamila cuba menghubungi peguambela Jamila, iaitu Malik (Marcelino Lefrandt)dan akhirnya bekerjasama untuk membebaskan Jamila. Jamila, kemudiannya dengan arahan bapak Presiden Indonesia kemudiannya di tempatkan di penjara luar kota. Disana Jamila telah menerima layanan kasar dari seorang Warden Penjara Wanita yang amat ditakuti oleh banduan di situ bernama Ibu Ria (Christine Hakim).

Di penjara tersebut, dari buku harian Jamila yang diambil Ibu Ria beliau mengetahui kisah silam Jamila. Jamila dijual oleh ibunya kepada 'mucikari' yang menjualnya kepada sebuah keluarga kaya. pasangan suami isteri yang berusia itu memiliki seorang anak lelaki. Kedua ayah dan anak lelaki tersebut telah memperkosa Jamila setiap malam secara bergilir sehinggalah anak lelaki keluarga tersebut dibunuh oleh Jamila. Si Ibu pula (Jajang C. Noer) yang tahu kelakuan sumbang suaminya, kemudian membunuh suaminya. Kemudian Jamila melarikan diri lantas bekerja sebagai pembantu di sebuah pasar kecil, mengetahui yang dia akan diperkosa, Jamila melarikan diri sekali lagi lagi lalu melintasi sebuah disko. Malang tidak berbau, akhirnya jamila terperangkap dan ditahan pihak polis. Dipendekkan cerita, Jamila kahirnya terjebak dengan pekerjaan di disko (Pelacur/GRO?) setelah beliau di jaga dengan baik oleh pekerja disko (Pelacur/GRO?) yang baik hati bernama Susi (Ria Irawan).

Kembali kepada situasi semasa, Jamila dituntut oleh berbagai aktivis masyarakat untuk dihukum mati. Dalam penjara ia diberikan simpati oleh Surya (Surya Saputra) yang terkesan dengan nasib yang menimpa Jamila. Namun Jamila tidak mengindahkan dia, begitu juga dengan Ibrahim, malah Jamila semakin memikirkan nasib adiknya, Fatimah yang sudah lama terpisah.

Terjadi perang mulut diantara Ibu Ria dan Jamila. Jamila membunuh sang menteri atas kebenciannya terhadap politikus dan negara, yang telah membiarkan kehidupannya menjadi mangsa dan sengsara. Atas kelakuannya, Jamila dikurung di sel isolasi. Beberapa hari kemudian, Jamila dijatuhi hukuman mati dek kerana tekanan masyarakat yang prihatin dengan kes tersebut. Ibu Ria yang mula terasa hibaiba, memujuk Jamila untuk membuat rayuan untuk dibatalkan hukuman mati di ganti dengan penjara seumur hidup. Dalam masa 36 jam sebelum dijatuhkankan hukuman, jamila masih berkeras untuk bertemu dengan Presiden Indonesia kerana percaya Presiden adalah punca utama dan perlu bertanggung jawab di atas semua permasalahan yang menimpanya selama ini. Jamila kemudian menceritakan kepada Ibu Ria mengenai apa yang berlaku di Kalimantan. Saat dia membunuh seorang lelaki yang telah menyebabkan adiknya terjerumus dalam rumah 'bordil', dikala itu itu Jamila telah menyamar menjadi pelacur disana berhasil menemukan baju Fatimah walau ia tidak berjumpa dengan jasad Fatima.

Sehari sebelum hukuman Jamila, Susi menemui oleh Ibrahim. Susi lalu menceritakan, mengenai saat mula Nurdin jatuh cinta dengan Jamila lantas diberi segala kemewahan. Namun panas tidak lama, Jamila kemudian mendapat berita yang Nurdin akan berkahwin menurut kehendak orang tua beliau. Jamila kemudia memberitahu Nurdin yang beliau sedang mengandung anak Nurdin. Dalam senuah acara bidaan, Nurdin dimalukan oleh Jamila secara tidak langsung. Kemudian mereka bertemu di sebuah Hotel, Nurdin mengancam Jamila dengan pistol. Berlaku pergelutan antara mereka berdua, Jamila kemudian telah terbunuh/membunuh Nurdin dengan pistol tersebut untuk melindungi dirinya. Di penjara, Jamila tetap tidak mengubah keputusannya untuk duhukum mati (tidak mahu dibicarakan). Akhirnya ia dihantar menuju tempat perlaksanaan hukuman (eksekusi), kedengaran bunyi bedilan pistol dari luar yang secara simbolik menyatakan kepada kita bahawa akhirnya Jamila dihukum mati.

Komentar :
Jamila dan Sang Presiden adalah sebuah film layar perak perdana karya sutradara Ratna Sarumpaet, yang mungkin lebih dikenali sebagai seorang sutradara teater serta aktivis perempuan. Naskah cerita film ini sendiri diadaptasi Ratna dari karya teaternya yang berjudul Pelacur dan Sang Presiden, yang sempat meraih banyak pujian sekaligus kritikan dari beberapa pihak di Indonesia selama masa pementasannya.

Ratna sendiri pernah menceritakan bahwa kisah Pelacur dan Sang Presiden diangkat dari rasa keprihatinan beliau di atas kekurangpedulian pihak pemerintah mengenai kes-kes pemerdagangan manuasi terutama anak-anak bawah umur yang banyak terjadi di daerah-daerah terpencil di Indonesia. Ratna sendiri pernah merantau sehingga ke Batam, Solo, Indramayu, Surabaya, dan kota-kota di Kalimantan, untuk mendapatkan sendiri cerita dari ratusan ribu korban perempuan yang kemudian disatukannya dalam cerita Pelacur dan Sang Presiden untuk dijadikan nasjkhah teater.

Di negara dimana sebuah filem dengan naskah kuat dan sedikit provokatif adalah sangat jarang ditemukan, tentu Jamila dan Sang Presiden bagaikan sebuah nafas segar di dunia perfileman. Apalagi jika naskah tersebut lumayan berhasil divisualkan dengan sangat baik oleh sang sutradara, maupun oleh para pelakonnya. Di Indonesia, hal tersebut hanya terjadi sekali dalam jangka beberapa tahun. Jamila dan Sang Presiden adalah salah satu hasil yang amat hebat.

Sebagai sebuah karya teater yang diangkat ke layar lebar, Ratna tentu saja tidak akan melupakan bahwa penampilan para pelakon setiap karakter di filem ini, dapat mempengaruhi kualiti Jamila dan Sang Presiden. Maka dengan itu, Ratna memilih berbagai nama-nama besar dan dengan jaminan kualiti lakonan yang sangat menepati untuk menghidupkan setiap karakter di film ini. Nama-nama seperti Christine Hakim, Surya Saputra, Fauzi Baadilla, Ria Irawan, Ade Irawan, Marcelino Lefrandt, Dwi Sasono, Atiqah Hasiholan yang malakonkan watak utama Jamila, film ini benar-benar menjadi salah satu film dengan jajaran lakonan yang sangat memukau di filem Indonesia.

Ini merupakan filem perjuangan dari kisah benar masyarakat yang membicarakan tentang kemiskinan, pemerdagangan manuisa dan gejala seksual terhadap wanita di bawah umur yang dhasilkan dengan begitu mantap sekali. Ia telah digarap untuk mencerminkan potret kita, tentang bagaimana miskinnya moral bangsa kita sekarang ini. Dan ini bukan hanya di Indonesia malah tempiaskan juga turut terasa kepada kita di Malaysia..

Emak Ingin Naik Haji - Kalaulah Pembikin Filem Malaysia Boleh Membuat Filem Seperti Ini..

Nota Jase :

When reading the title of this movie, and saw the posters, I am glad to know that the main star is an old actress. She is OLD because of her age, instead of intentionally created to look old by the make-up artist. I agree that she is the right choice to play the role.

ATIK KANSER is the perfect person to play the figure of a mother – called EMAK - with a simple life, who is working as a pastry cook. She lives with her son, Zein, who is working as a painter. Emak is a simple person, gentle spoken, innocent and she is fully believe in God. Her belief was smooth her days, so everything was easy. Emak’s attitude is always grateful for anything that obtained and which occured in her life. Emak's love is so clear, her tenderness in facing the only son, made his son will not dare to hurt her.

Emak has a very high spirits, she even obsessed to be able to go to the Holy Land – Mecca, but it did not make her busy earning money all the time. Patiently Emak is saving her money from selling the cakes, which in five-year accumulated just five million rupiah. Emak is still optimistic and positive thinking, that even if her body did not get to the Holy Land, but she believes that her heart had got there first.

Since they had decided to put painting of Ka'bah on their wall, Emak felt that Ka'bah was already in sight, not just in the form of mere shadows. I was trying to figure out their own plot of this movie that one day their rich neighbor would come accidentally and saw the painting, then buy it worth the cost to the Holy Land for Emak. But I must be disappointed, because the plot is not like that. Aditya Gumay successfully deceived me and this time I must admit that not all of Indonesian's movie predictable story line with ease.

Emak, a kind-hearted grandma, she even let her savings for operating costs grandchildren. This scene was a lesson for me, and hopefully also for other audiences, that we often think that we can arrange everything in our life, and we forget that the provisions of Allah who is bound to happen and that's the best. We often encounter in this life, we are not willing to lend our money or saving to someone or our relative with various reasons. In fact, we are too afraid that we won't get the money back. We forget the God's provisions has set everyone's fortune amounts not yet fully understood in the sense that truth. The fear that appears in our minds, often not congruent in line with what we should believe.

Zein, who had erred after seeing a suitcase full of money in Haji Sa'un bedroom. This errancy triggered by his confusion of surgery cost of his son, also for Emak to pay fare to go to the Holy Land. He was so lucky when he quickly realized that he has been made a big mistake before he regret it in entire of his life, and it was a great blessing because God covered that mistake, so that he survived and was not caught. Can you imagine how shocked Emak will be?

(When the next scene is about Zein filled the lucky dip coupon, quickly I thought that the ending of this movie seemed like ‘Emak win the Lucky Dip and she can go to the Holy Land’. But once again, I must admit that Aditya has successfully deceived me for the second time.) When Zein had an accident and made him unable to work for a while, I got a lesson that in the joy we should not be too excessive. The plot of story may be different, if Zein just sat at home waiting for Emak.

On the other hand, the accident like a disaster for Emak, but she believes that another joy will come after this. Fortunately, all hospital cost paid by the person who hit Zein. It seemed that Emak's sincerity during her life was got paid. I believe that good deeds that we make, can also be enjoyed by people around us, and vice versa.

The Open Road "Justin is Brilliant !!!"

Jeff Bridges and Justin Timberlake memegang watak ayah dan anak lelaki yang mempunyai hubungan yang agak sukar, bermasalah dan mengelirukan. Namun begitu kedua-duanya adalah pemain bola lisut (seorang legenda dan seorang lagi sedang mengejar puncak). Sebuah 'dramedi' yang merangkak agak perlahan untuk tiba ke kemuncak, itulah 'The Open Road'. Epilog yang agak mungkin tidak di gemari ramai. Lakonan yang amat mantap oleh Justin Timerlake. Sesungguhnya beliau memang mempunyai bakat lakonan yang cemerlang dan mampu menggondol Anugerah Academy jika kena pada watak yang diberikan kepadanya di masa hadapan. (Saya terpaksa menonton DVD ini untuk melepas lelah 'stress' bekerja hari ini... Huhuhu).


Sinopsis :
The movie centers on Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake), the adult son of baseball legend Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges) and a minor-league baseball player with the Corpus Christi, Texas Hooks. One night, after another game in which he continues to slump at the plate, Carlton gets a phone call from his grandfather Amon (Harry Dean Stanton), who tells him that Carlton's mother, Katherine (Mary Steenburgen) has fallen ill and is at the hospital. Katherine requires a surgery that the doctors recommend; however she refuses to sign the waiver until Kyle comes to visit her. After Carlton agrees to find his estranged father, together with his ex-girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara), the two of them fly to Columbus, Ohio to break the news to Kyle, who is there for an autograph signing and doesn't have a cell phone.

After a tense meeting, in which it's revealed that Carlton and Kyle haven't seen or spoken to each other in five years, Kyle agrees to fly to Texas to see Katherine with his son and Lucy. The next morning, while preparing to get through airport security, Kyle realizes that he's lost his wallet and hence his identification, therefore he's not allowed to board the flight. Lucy suggests that the three of them rent a car and drive. While at a gas station one evening, Kyle asks Lucy to bring him his bag which contain painkillers for his various aches. Lucy notices Kyle's wallet in the bag, revealing that Kyle intentionally misplaced his wallet in hopes of not having to get on the plane and thus not make the trip; Lucy keeps this discovery a secret from Carlton.

As the trip progresses, Carlton and Kyle attempt to piece-together their fragile relationship. Also, Lucy tells Carlton that she's engaged to a new man; this creates a tension between the two, as their love towards each other remains. Many delays occur, as Kyle becomes increasingly anxious about seeing Katherine and becomes more and more unreliable. He seems to make up for this, however, when he tells Carlton and Lucy that he knows someone who works at the Memphis airport who can get him through security without I.D. While waiting for their flight, Kyle tells Carlton that the employee he knows doesn't exist and it was a cover-up story. Carlton realizes that Kyle has had his wallet the entire time and has purposely been delaying the trip. He angrily storms off to talk to Lucy, leaving Kyle unattended. After an argument with Lucy, whom he finds out knew about the wallet the whole time, he returns to where Kyle was sitting to find him missing. Carlton and Lucy get on the flight anyway and Carlton exits the flight to look for his father but not before telling Lucy that if he doesn't come back before takeoff, to get off the plane. Mad at Carlton and their argument, Lucy decides to stay on the plane anyway and she flys home; Carlton is also unsuccessful in finding Kyle. Carlton calls Katherine and she tells him that if his father is anywhere in Memphis, he'd be at The Peabody Hotel downtown.

When Carlton arrives at the hotel he finds out from the front desk that no one by the name of Kyle Garrett has checked-in. Tired at this point, Carlton takes a room for the night. Later that evening, during a conversation with the Peabody Hotel bartender (Lyle Lovett), the bartender tells him that Kyle Garrett is indeed staying in the hotel but under an alias. Furious, Carlton confronts Kyle in Kyle's room. After forcing himself in, Carlton and Kyle wrestle each other to the ground, where Kyle tells Carlton that he loves Katherine but loves himself even more. Soon Kyle agrees to continue with the trip. The next day Carlton gets a phone call: Katherine has gotten an infection and the doctors have been forced to operate earlier than expected.

Carlton, Kyle, Amon and Carlton's grandmother Virge (Lenore Banks) wait anxiously in the hospital waiting room. Soon Lucy shows up and her and Carlton reconcile. The doctor comes out and tells the family that the operation was a success. The next morning, while still at the hospital, Carlton tells Lucy that he's quitting baseball to focus on becoming a writer and Lucy tells Carlton that she's not a 'fiancee' anymore. At this point it's assumed that the two have gotten back together. Carlton drives Kyle to the airport, where Kyle agrees to come visit on New Year's and Carlton agrees to visit Kyle for Christmas. The ending scene shows Carlton clearing out his baseball locker and walking to his jeep, where Lucy is waiting for him. The two drive off together.

Kurbaan Cinta Berdarah Khalid

Sinopsis
Avantika Ahuja (Kareena Kapoor) who lives in the US returns to Delhi after her father has a cardiac arrest. While in Delhi she meets Ehsaan Khan (Saif Ali Khan), a University professor from Mumbai. Being in the same career field at the same place, love blossoms between the two. Meanwhile Avantika gets a return call from New York asking her to rejoin her job. She breaks this news to Ehsaan and expresses her desire to work in the US, Ehsaan agrees and joins her but before that Avantika's father has some reservations about his daughter marrying a Muslim.However he gives in as the couple has decided to get married. Eventually they get married and move to the USA. Avantika helps Ehsaan in getting a job at the same university where she teaches and Ehsaan is appointed as a professor to teach Islam and the Modern World. Avantika's life changes when her neighbor Salma (Nauheed Cyrusi) informs her about her house arrest and requests Avantika to help her by contacting her friend Rihana (Dia Mirza), a TV reporter. Avantika meets Rihana and tells her about Salma's problem and meanwhile she meets Riyaz (Vivek Oberoi), Rihana's boyfriend and colleague who takes Salma's problem as a case of domestic violence. Unfortunately, Rihana has to fly out of the city before meeting Salma and she gets her flight information when Avantika is still at her office. Avantika becomes pregnant and waits at her house to share this with Ehsaan but when she hears voices coming from their neighbor's house, she investigates and finds out that her neighbors Bhaijaan (Om Puri) and the others are planning to send Tahir and blast the flight in which Rihana is traveling, and have also killed Salma as she wanted to expose them. Her neighbors see her and chase her to her house where she meets Ehsaan who consoles her but soon reveals that he is also a part of the terrorist group. Bhaijaan ask Ehsaan to kill her in order to make their operation successful, however Ehsaan denies after learning that Avantika is pregnant. Ehsaan keeps Avantika in house arrest and threatens to kill her father in India if she tries to inform anyone. Avantika realizes that she is a pawn in Ehsaan’s game. It turns out he married her to legitimately obtain Social Security Cards and a new identity in the USA. Avantika calls Rihana and leaves a voice message on her office number to stop her from boarding the flight. Unfortunately, the plane explodes killing Rihana.

Riyaz, heartbroken and revengeful finds Avantika's voice message for Rihana and begins a mission to uncover the real culprits behind the flight bombings. Riyaz also joins Ehsaan's lectures and soon befriends him. Ehsaan finds him to be a perfect replacement for one of his group member Aqeel (Salma's husband) who was killed by Ehsaan while they were taking out Salma's body to bury it. Ehsaan introduces Riyaz to Bhaijaan who becomes suspicious of Riyaz's thoughts to fight against the Americans. Ehsaan makes Riyaz a part of their next mission to bomb several subway stations in New York.

Riyaz tries to spoil the plan with the help of Avantika. Time starts running out for Riyaz & Avantika and they become helpless when Bhaijaan advances the mission by 3 days. While carrying bombs in the subway Riyaz's colleague bumps into him and tells Ehsaan & Bhaijaan about his real identity. Riyaz tries to escape and in the chaos, shoots Bhaijaan. While taking his last breath, Bhaijaan informs Ehsaan that there are 3 more bombs placed in the bags of 2 wives of the terrorists involved and one of it placed in Avantika's bag which is being escorted by Aapa (Kirron Kher). He has a change of heart to save his love and child and doesn't kill Riyaz when he corners him and instead they both make a plan to stop all the other terrorists. Riyaz tries to save the people at the train stations but 2 bombs explode killing Hamid and another terrorist. Ehsaan kills Aapa while saving Avantika. Ultimately he sacrifices himself at the end to save the innocent Avantika. Ehsaan dies by committing suicide and Riyaz arrives to see Avantika.

Cast
Saif Ali Khan as Ehsaan Khan/Khalid
Kareena Kapoor as Avantika
Vivek Oberoi Riyaz Masood
Om Puri as Bhaijaan
Kirron Kher as Nasreen/Aapa
Dia Mirza as Rihana (Special appearance)
Nauheed Cyrusi as Salma (Special appearance)
Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Riyaz's father
Rupinder Nagra as Hamid

Nota Jase :
Saya memang peminat filem hindi. Cuma kebelaknagan ini agak sukar untuk menonton filem hindi memandangkan 'tiada kaki'. Lewat bulan lalu saya terjumpa akan VCD Original "Kurbaan" lakonan Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor. Filem ini mendapat liputan yang agak meluas kerana ia lari daripada tema cinta seperti kebanyakan Filem-filem Hindi. Dari segi lakonan ketiga-tiga pelakon utama Siaf, Kareena dan Viviek telah melaksanakannya dengan cemerlang. Dari segi runut bunyi, ia juga cemerlang dengan latar yang bersesuaian dengan keadaan. Penceritaan pula, meskipun ia masih berpaksikan kepada norma-norma biasa filem hindi yang adakala mengambil mudah soal kelangsungan antara plot, babak dan watak. Ia masih boleh dibanggakan. Mungkin perlu ada kajian yang lebih mendalam jika ingin mewarnakan watak-watak yang kononnya 'terrorist' di kacamata Uncle Sam !!! (Satu ketika dahulu, poster filem ini juga pernah mencetus kontroversi). (Saya sesungguhnya terpaksa menonton 2 malam berturut-turut untuk menghabiskan 3 keping VCD !!!)

Jadilah Pemberani, Kejarlah Semua Mimpimu

Ini merupakan DVD kedua titipan sahabat saya, Bung Joko dari Jakarta. Saya cuma berkesempatan untuk menonton DVD ini petang Ahad baru lalu. Dari tajuknya sahaja "Garuda di Dadaku" (GDD) kita tahu bahawa ceritanya pasti tentang sebuah impian yang diperjuangkan, penuh rintangan dan akhirnya membuahkan kemanisan yang tidak terhingga. Sebuah kisah motivasi yang akan membuat kita tidak bergerak dari kerusi dan merasa 'feel good' apabila nota-nota kredit mula muncul di akhir cerita. Puas dan penuh dengan semangat baru.

GDD mengisahkan Bayu, kanak-kanak 12 tahun yang begitu suka sekali bermain sepakbola (sila baca bola sepak). Meskipun begitu, minatnya ini mendapat tentangan yang amat kuat sekali daripada Kakeknya (sila baca datuknya). Bagi Kakeknya, pemain bola tidak mempunyai masa depan. Kakeknya dalam pada itu ingin mendidik Bayu menjadi seorang pelajar yang pintar di sekolah dan serba boleh seperti memiliki bakat melukis dan bermain muzik. Dalam masa yang sama, sahabat baik Bayu, Heri iaitu seorang kanak-kanak cacat anggota (lumpuh - tidak dapat berjalan dan menggunakan kerusi roda untuk bergerak) begitu menyokong akan minat Bayu dan sentiasa menjadi tulang belakang kepada minat Bayu. Ketika Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI) ingin membentuk pasukan bolasepak Kebangsaan Indonesia U-13 Bayu mendapat semangat baru untuk memburu impian beliau. Bayu bukan sahaja di sokong Heri malah Bang Duloh (pemandu Heri yang lucu dan baik hati) dan Zahra (seorang gadis misteri di tanah perkuburan - projek sosial Bayu) dan kemudiannya ibu Bayu sendiri. Dalam masa yang sama semua niat ini masih dirahsiakan daripada Kakeknya sehinggalah suatu tragedi berlaku...

Kisah mengenai kanak-kanak dan sukan bola sepak ini pernah saya tonton ketika EUFF 2009 dahulu; berjudul Gilles. Berlatarbelakangkan persekitaran yang hampir sama iaitu kanak-kanak, impian dan bola sepak tetapi epilognya berbeza. Bila menonton GDD ini dengan klimaks yang berbeza, latar belakang serumpun dan emosi yang berlainan ia sebenarnya masih terasa segar pada saya.

Sesunnguhnya ini cuma kisah impian kecil tetapi sebenarnya telah menjeritkan kita kepada kebanggaan yang amat besar untuk persada. Terima Kasih Bung Joko kerana mengirimkan saya DVD ini, setidak-tidaknya dapat mengingatkan saya kepada kisah-kisah sewaktu kecil yang membuatkan saya tersenyum sendiri. Maka... Jadilah Saya Seorang Pemberani, Yang Akan Mengejar Semua Mimpi Yang Belum Terlaksana...

Jika Tidak Kerana Oji..

Ini adalah koleksi DVD terbaru yang saya miliki dari seberang. Ceritanya sahabat saya Bung Joko memerlukan 2 botol kosong 'specialty produk' jenama PETRONAS dari Malaysia. Sebagai gantinya, beliau menawarkan kepada saya untuk ditukar (seperti sistem barter) dengan 2 keping DVD dan sebuah novel Indonesia 'Negara 5 Menara'. Memandangkan ia amat penting untuk pekerjaan Bung Joko maka saya pun bersetuju dengan tawaran tersebut. Maka lewat minggu lalu saya pun menerima bungkusan 'courier' daripada beliau yang mengandungi DVD 'Suami-Suami Takutkan Istri The Movie' dan 'Garuda Di Dadaku' berserta novel yang dijanjikan.

Kiranya baru semalam saya sempat menghabiskan masa menonton 'Suami-Suami Takutkan Istri The Movie'. Cerita lucu ini mengisahkan tentang kenakalan para suami terhadap isteri-isteri mereka dek kerana terlalu mengikut nafsu mengejar Trio Ganas hingga ke Bali.

Sesungguhnya, Bung Joko mengirimkan saya DVD ini kerana Oji (Fauzi Baadilla) muncul secara 'cameo' di dalam filem ini. Bung Joko amat arif tentang saya yang amat mengikuti aktor berkarisma dan hebat dari Indonesia ini (Ingat Tentang Dia? 9 Naga? LOVE?) . Setelah menonton, cuma satu yang saya mampu perkatakan, jika tidak kerana Oji tidak mungkin saya menonton filem ini... "Jangan Marah Ya Bung..."

p/s : Bung Joko... Aku masih nunguin lewat DVD Jamilah & Sang Presiden, Jangan lupa titipkan aku ya !!

Through the Eyes of A Boy (3/3)

Superbly acted, sharply observed and impressively directed Romanian drama, though it drags a little in the early stages.

What's it all about?
Directed by Radu Muntean, Boogie stars Dragos Bucur as thirtysomething Bogdan (aka Boogie), who's holidaying in the Romanian seaside resort of Neptune with his pregnant wife Smaranda (Anamaria Marinca, from 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) and his four-year-old son Adi (Vlad Muntean).

When Boogie unexpectedly bumps into old friends Penescu (Mimi Branescu) and Lordache (Adrian Vancica), he joins them for a night of nostalgic drinking, flirting and general carousing, much to Smaranda's annoyance.

The Good
Essentially, Boogie is about the pitfalls of nostalgia and the importance of leaving your old life behind. The performances are excellent, particularly from lead actor Bucur, who's in almost every frame and carries the film nicely, despite not being a particularly sympathetic character.

There's also strong support from Anamaria Marinca, who's terrific in the argument scene and in the film's final sequence, and from Roxana Iancu as Ramona, a young prostitute picked up by Lordache.

The Great
The script perfectly captures the drunken banter and bravado of the three friends and their attempts to recapture their glory days are entirely believable. That said, the early stages of the film drag considerably, as it's basically like being sober and being stuck listening to three drunken strangers.

The film picks up in the second half, as Boogie goes back to his hotel room, has an argument about commitment with Smaranda and then angrily goes out to rejoin his friends, with all three men going back to Lordache and Penescu's hotel room with Ramona. Director Radu Muntean somehow manages to make these scenes feel exciting, suspenseful (will Boogie cheat on Smaranda?), funny and desperately sad all at the same time.

Worth seeing?
In short, Boogie is a sharply observed film about growing up that saves a powerful emotional punch for its perfect final scene. Recommended.

Nota Jase
Ini adalah bahagian terakhir dari 'entry' 'Through the Eyes of A Boy' yang membicarakan tiga buah DVD yang saya beli di Miri dan menonton selama 2 tahun (31/12/2009 dan 1/1/2010 - jangan terkejut ya, 2 hari sahaja sebenarnya). Secara kebetulan kesemua DVD yang saya beli ini membawa tema yang hampir sama iaitu perhubungan di antara ayah dan anak lelaki. Kesemuanya adalah drama yang memerlukan penghayatan ketika menonton. Memang kesemua filem ini bukan dari genre 'box-office' tetapi sekali sekala kita memang perlu menonton filem yang mengajak kita berfikir. Hmm.. Ini mungkin adalah resolusi tahun baru?

Through the Eyes of A Boy (2/3)

Sinopsis :
This debut feature from director Joseph Greco is the semi-autobiographical tale of a 10-year-old Florida boy, Chris (Devon Gearhart), who returns from a summer in Alaska to find his mentally ill... This debut feature from director Joseph Greco is the semi-autobiographical tale of a 10-year-old Florida boy, Chris (Devon Gearhart), who returns from a summer in Alaska to find his mentally ill mother (Marcia Gay Harden) hearing voices in the walls again and Dad (Joe Pantoliano) up to his neck in debts and distress. Poor Chris meanwhile is growing up, discovering a passion for sewing and puppy love with a cute girl at school (Sophia Bairley). When Mom is finally dragged off to the state hospital, Dad turns his energy towards building a sailboat, but that's still just a way for him to avoid spending time with Chris, who begins to cut class and get into fights. Greco's script was obviously spruced up with input from the actors: they live and breathe these roles: Marcia Gay Harden is alternately sweet, scary, and sad as the mother, Pantoliano blends seamlessly into the role of a working class dad sanded smooth by domestic hardship, and newcomer Gearhart is aces in a surprisingly complex role; able to convey deep emotion behind a facade of stoic kid resolve, he sails the film cleanly past the rocks of contrivance and cliché and off into the sunset of first-class sensitive indie family drama. The beautiful photography wrings plenty of salt air and sunshine from the small-town Florida locale and there's a sweetener of a soundtrack with acoustic guitars and sad girl vocalists.

Nota Jase:
At the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the film won the Audience Award and Joe Pantoliano won the Best Dramatic Performance Award. At the Sedona International Film Festival, the film won the Best Feature Film Award and Joe Pantoliano won the Outstanding Acting Award. The film also won Audience Awards at the Nantucket Film Festival and the Sarasota Film Festival.If “Canvas” tries much too hard to soften the Marinos’ anguish by emphasizing the father and son’s creativity and resilience, a tougher, more realistic movie would probably be close to unbearably painful. Below the film’s sugar coating is an inner core of integrity and goodness. All three Marinos are noble everyday people visited by horror. Think of “Canvas” as a Lifetime movie: A likable One.

Through the Eyes of A Boy (1/3)

Sinopsis :
Romulus Gaita fled his home in his native Yugoslavia in 1935 at the age of 28, and emigrated to Australia on an assisted passage in 1950 with his young wife Christine and their four-year-old son Raimond soon after the end of World War II. Romulus and his family were transferred to Bonegilla, a migrant reception and clearing camp near Wodonga. Romulus was then sent to Baringhup on the Loddon River, where he met two Romanian brothers Pantelimon (known as Hora) and Demitru (known as Mitru).

The Gaitas later moved to a farmhouse called Frogmore where they lived for the next ten years, and where Raimond spent much of his childhood.

Christine does not stay at Frogmore to take on the responsibility as a wife and mother. She has an affair with Mitru and moves to Melbourne to be with him, and has two daughters with him. Mitru commits suicide before the birth of the second child, and Christine later also commits suicide. Both daughters are adopted. Raimond observes in retrospect that Christine likely had a mental illness.

After some attempts at farming, Romulus establishes a business supplying wrought iron furniture, popular at the time, and using some of the skills he brought from his native country.

Romulus also suffers from mental illness, requiring admission to a psychiatric hospital. While Romulus was unable to care for Raimond, Hora came and lived with Raimond and cared for him.

Romulus later largely recovered from his mental illness, and saw Raimond live to adulthood and pursue his chosen career. Romulus later suffered heart problems and eventually died of a blood clot.

It is the tale of a boy trying to balance a universe described by his deeply moral father, against the experience of heartbreaking absence and neglect from a depressive mother. It is, ultimately, a story of impossible love that celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.

The story of Romulus, My Father details the struggle of many immigrants during and after the Second World War, and how these adversities were faced and sometimes overcome.

It portrays the never dwindling love of Romulus for his son Raimond, in spite of the challenges of being abandoned by his wife and the confusion caused by his mental illness.

Nota Jase :
Telah lama saya mencari DVD Romulus, My Father lakonan matap Eric Bana yang juga mendapat kritik memberansangkan daripada para pengkritik filem. Filem ini bergerak aga perlahan tetapi jika diamati dengan mata hati ia adalah sebuah karya yang amat bermakna dan mendalam. Sebuah kisah benar yang diangkat sendiri oleh penulis novel ini yang juga seorang ahli falsafah Australia, Raimond Gaita yang menulis kisah ayah beliau Romulus Gaita (1922- 1996). Dalam Halaman 74 di dalam autobiografi Romulus, My Father, Raimond menulis "On many occasions in my life I have had the need to say, and thankfully have been able to say: I know what a good workman is; I know what an honest man is; I know what friendship is; I know because I remember these things in the person of my father."

Sayang You Can Dance : Menarilah... Jangan Menyesal

Saya pernah rasa menyesal kerana terlepas menonton filem ini ketika ia berlegar di pawagam. Apatah lagi dengan 'promo yang bagai nak rak', termasuk juga dengan munculnya pelakon Indonesia Samuel Rizal sebagai pelakon utama diganding pula dengan Sharifah Amani yang jarang mengecewakan di layar perak tentunya ia merupakan tarikan 'besi sembrani' yang mantap. Namun setelah melaburkan RM19.90 untuk membeli VCD Original dan menonton dua hari lalu, saya kira ia merupakan pelaburan yang AMAT sia-sia !!!

Sebagai sebuah filem remaja berorientasikan muzikal saya kira ia gagal kerana muzik latar yang yang seperti membazir dan tiada impak. Cuma satu lagu sahaja yang saya kira boleh dibanggakan. Entah apa tajuknya tetapi nyanyian Ajai & Marsha.

Dialog juga ada ketikanya kedengaran janggal seperti 'dubbing' yang tak sempurna. Tetapi saya boleh puji kerana masing-masing menggunakan dialek sendiri seperti Sarawak, Melayu, Inggeris, kantonis dan ROJAK. Tetapi Mia (Amani) kenapa tidak cuba bercakap loghat Sarawak? Kan Mia sepatutnya orang Sarawak? Bapak Mia? Alahai... pergilah kelas lakonan !!!

Jalan cerita? Ini lagi satu... penulis skrip Malaysia perlu belajar lebih lagi dan jangan banyak sangat kebetulan dan 'twist' mudah yang entah apa-apa untuk menamat cerita. Hmm... Apakah logiknya seorang budak lelaki gagah seperti Remie (Samuel) menyimpan topi keledar pink di dalam motor beliau? Siapa nak jawab? Bapak Mia yang menghabiskan masanya mengarah bonzer mengugut dan memukul Remie menjadi begitu pemaaf dengan tiba2? Amat kebetulan juga bapa Remie adalah bekas pemandu bapa Mia? Remie... secara keseluruhan berkominikasi dalam Bahsa Indonesia. Alasan yang di berikan ialah ibu Remie berasal dari Indonesia tetapi jika tinggal di Sarawak dari kecil mana mungkin dia tidak langsung berbicara dialek Sarawak? Jika anda berfikir ingin menonton semua filem tentang tarian seperti 'Step Up' ataupun 'Flashdance' ataupun 'Footloose'. Lupakan saja; Anda akan menyesal. Tarian yang hebat ala-ala Beyonce oleh Dafi cuma akan muncul di 15 minit pertama !!!

Benda yang paling klise dan menyebabkan seperti ingin menekan BUTANG STOP ialah apabila Remie jatuh sakit (luekimia) dan memerlukan pembedahan dengan segera. Seperti filem-filem Melayu yang biasa kita tonton, orang yang sakit yang memerlukan pembedahan mesti datang dari keluarga miskin. Begitu juga dengan kisahnya filem ini.

Jika ingin menonton kisah Cinta Antara Dua Darjat yang 'out dated' dan 'muak tahap nak muntuh' bolehlah menonton filem ini!!! Meskipun lapuk, mengapa pembikin filem kita masih ingin membuat cerita sebegini? Konpius saya...

Ada satu watak yang entah tiada hujung pangkal muncul dan mengelirukan. Tiba-tiba 'mamat' muncul di tempat kerja Remie dan mencabar Remie untuk bertanding pertandingan menari. Watak itu hanya muncul dua kali, kali kedua ialah pada hari pertandingan! Gila bukan?

Kekuatan Lakonan Samuel? Ekspresi wajahnya... Memang penuh karisma. Watak Amani agak terbatas - macam mana boleh tercalon lagi untuk Pelakon Wanita Terbaik kali inipun saya musykil.

Saya menonton filem ini setelah Yasmin Ahmad meninggal dunia. Di dalam filem ini Yasmin membuat cameo yang agak unik. Arwah Yasmin cuma muncul di dalam frame gambar di bilik tidur Remie. Arwah Yasmin di gambarkan sebagai ibu Remie; orang Indonesia yang telah meninggal ketika Remie masih kecil. Amat ironi sekali bagi saya....