NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU

Directed by: So many people it feels like the members of United Nations are directors who work together nicely.
Run time: Not longer than Avatar, enough to finish three regular size popcorn, four cupcakes and two large glasses of ice tea

New York as the city of love? Does this mean Bruce Willis and Will Smith already stop wreaking CGI havoc in the big apple? I am glad at least some filmmaker didn't cast New York as city of superheroes, international spy thriller or decent action flick.

For those with short attention span, or those who cannot sit nicely in a movie theater more than 90 minute, this is a delight. It feels like a candy or cupcake buffet where you were exposed into so many choices.

With superb cinematography (it feels that the scenes sprung up from postcards), this film is as good as Paris, J'taime. Some performance are beyond good, like Shia LaBeouf who (at last!) show that he can act without CGI, let's just hope he took the Leonardo DiCaprio lane instead of Zac Efron way, and Chris Cooper. My favorite segment is the one with Anton Yelchin directed by Brett Ratner, the one with Natalie Portman by Mira Nair, the one by Shekhar Kapur (finishing Anthony Minghella's part) with Shia LaBeouf and the one by Joshua Marston with Eli Wallach (Tuco from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)).

The rest of the segment is also nice, although the one by Fatih Akin is underdeveloped and the one by Shunji Iwai is just plain boring, lucky for Shunji, Orlando Bloom didn't disappoint, he just need a better script since his segment is aimless. The segment by Jiang Wen is attractive but lack of mojo, I don't know, is it because of Hayden Christensen losing his 'force'.

I have not visited New York, but this film manage to show the beautiful side of New York. I just don't understand why critics doesn't give high rating for this film, does love bores them?

So who directed these segment of love? Hold your breath, here they are: Jiang Wen, Mira Nair, Shunji Iwai, Yvan Attal, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Kapur, Natalie Portman, Fatih Akin, Joshua Marston and Randy Balsmeyer. As for Scarlett Johansson segment, the producer decided not to include it in the final cut. I have no idea why, but I wanted to know Scarlett's talent behind the camera.

Speaking of city of love franchise, next year the producer will release Shanghai, I Love You. I do hope they will also consider these places as backdrop; Baghdad, Rome, Berlin, Cairo or perhaps....Pandora!

MACABRE (RUMAH DARA)

Directed by: The Mo Brothers
Run time: 95 min

If you like blood and gore, watch this film while eating Spaghetti bolognese. Since it is the proper snack for this blood fest. Don't forget to eat it with extra ketchup.

No need to feel disgusted at all, this film deliver what it has promised, horror and thriller every second of it, it is worth every penny of your ticket price and you will be awed by the scenes. Just remember, don't take your kids or your underage nephew to watch this one.

Forget logic, anyone who went to see this don't expect for a twisted story but expect for twisted gore. Slashing, mutilating, squirted blood and severed limbs in a fast pacing editing is to be expected. Not recommended for squeamish people and those who are afraid of blood though. Compared to the Saw series, the gore level of this film is mild, but for Indonesian movie, this one is a breakthrough.

The production value is top notch, it matches those slasher movies made in the States and the Mo Brothers has maximized the use of small set. The title itself is very clever "Rumah Dara" means "Dara's House", added the letter "h", it could mean Rumah Darah in Indonesian or Blood House in English. This is an extension of their short Dara, which is also good. Most of the performers in Dara returns for Rumah Dara, with slight changes.

The plot is easy to understand, few youngsters caught in a bad situation after they had a night in a club. They went into a house of Dara and there, they meet their fate. From that on, your heart will pound higher and higher until you realize that you already eat too many spaghetti bolognese with extreme delight.

The Mo Brothers surely have talent and they have raise the bar on thriller genre in Indonesia. If Rumah Dara about to be made as a trilogy, they can revive the horror/slasher genre in Indonesia. Thumbs up for them.

BRIGHT STAR

Directed by: Jane Campion
Run time: 119 min

I never heard of anything about John Keats in my life. I am not even a big fan of poetry, I don't even understand it very well. But after watching this movie, I was moved like I never been moved before. Truly John Keats poems are beautiful (for a guy like me who rarely read poetry and hear John Keats poetry being read by Ben Whishaw for the first time in my life, his words are mesmerizing) and so was this film which successfully transform the beauty of poetry into celluloid without over hyped cinematography or some corny dialogue I used to see in dozens of movies with the same theme.

Bright Star is clearly one of 2009's best but underrated, if only more people watch this film, they will get something more of a substance then the generic movies people used to watch nowadays. Jane Campion has managed to deliver a beautiful but heart wrenching love story without trapped inside the web of period drama corny-ism, I believe she deserved an Oscar for this film.

This is the story of the poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw), which depicted with an EMO hair here (I have no idea what EMO hair is, but since my friend call those sort of hairstyle as EMO hairstyle, so I call it EMO hair) is smitten and in love with Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), the daughter of his landlady. To put the plot simply, they meet, they love, he dies.

As the film goes by Jane Campion take this film slowly but sure, giving the viewer a feeling of beautiful but poetic sadness. Don't ask about production value, this film has a superb recreation of early 19th century lifestyle in England, from clothes to daily life.

This film satisfies my hunger for something beautiful but with substance. By casting unknown performers, their performance are natural and allow the viewer to believe that it is John Keats and Fanny Brawne who fell in love.As for Abbie Cornish, she shine in this film, she is the bright star of Bright Star.

Bright Star
By: John Keats

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--
No--yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

CREATION

Directed by: Jon Amiel
Run time: 108 min

How he saw the world changed it forever

I am not a biologist or some expert on evolution. All I know about Charles Darwin that his work is controversial until today. So it is a matter of time before a decent biopic about him finally see the light of the day.

I cannot help to parallel this film with A Beautiful Mind, not only that Jennifer Connely was in both movies but how the film depicts that Charles Darwin (Paul Bettany, Connely's husband in real life) still see his dead daughter in his mind . This display of a tortured genius resembles A Beautiful Mind. However, A Beautiful Mind is better than this one. Not that this film is bad, it is only decent. The music and the scenery fits the story well. Part psychological thriller and heart-wrenching love story, Creation is the story behind the scene as Charles Darwin compose The Origin of Species.

The process of writing the book and the battle inside Darwin's soul between religion and his new found belief, between faith and reason also one of the theme in this film.

There is no doubt Bettany and Connely has squirted their best in acting, but in story telling I feel something is lacking. Perhaps because I was hoping that this film will investigate deeper on the book or the battle between faith and reason instead of the psychological aspect of Charles Darwin's family life.

Not that it is not interesting at all it is just a bit depressing when the psychological aspect took up 80% of the story. It is not like Revolutionary Road, which is depressing but interesting, this one is a depressing and murky.

INVICTUS

Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Run time: 134 min

His people needed a leader. He gave them a champion.

When it comes to Nelson Mandela biopic I was kinda hoping that it is about his struggle, but when it comes to reality that it was about Mandela being the President and the South African rugby team, I am kind of disappointed. Not only I have no idea what rugby is, this event is largely unknown to most people beyond South Africa, like me.

However, having heard that Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon acted in this film (plus it is directed by my favorite director, Clint Eastwood), at least this film will not be that bad. The marketing team of this film realize that if they put Morgan Freeman on the poster, this film wouldn't apply to younger viewers, so they decide to put the blond but a bit tanned and bulkier Matt Damon in the foreground in the hope that it will attract more viewers.

This is the story of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) who wanted to unite his post-apartheid country through a universal language of sport, in this case, the national rugby team to win the world cup of rugby with the help of Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon). The problem is, the Springbok, (the name or South African national rugby team) was universally hated by most South Africans since it is viewed as a "white man sport", will Mandela and Pienaar succeed in their effort to unite their country with rugby?

Although I have no knowledge at all on how to play rugby, but this film doesn't bore me at all with largely featured rugby games. The acting is top notch, Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon immerse in their character and has zero American English accent, it feels like I am watching District 9 the drama version, minus aliens.

But I feel there is something lacking in this film, the spirit of struggle and charisma of Nelson Mandela. It feels that this film will only have an appeal to South Africans only. Inspiring? Well, a little bit but at least this is a decent film about Nelson Mandela and SO, unlike the boring Goodbye Bafana. I wish someday some good biopic about Nelson Mandela's struggle in Robben Island prison will be made.

In case you wonder, this is the poem Invictus which the title of this film based on. In my opinion, it is a good poem.

Invictus
By: William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

2009 BEST MOVIES

Just click on the link which will direct you to the full review still in this blog (don't worry I will not link some suspicious site. I just want to make it easier for my readers, just in case they want to read more. Speaking of readers, I don't think I got so many readers here, since every time I check my blog most of the post has zero comment. I began to think I can write anything without angering anyone since no one will ever read it at all) and it is not in chronological order, some aren't reviewed at all in the past so I just wrote few sentences on it. Actually I have seen more movies than what I wrote here it is just for me, it is difficult to find the right time to wrote it down. I haven't seen Precious and Up in the Air, so this list is a little bit incomplete since my instinct tells me that both movies are also good. The Hurt Locker is just okay in my opinion, so I didn't write the review here.

SANG PEMIMPI

AVATAR

MOON

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

DISTRICT 9

MERANTAU

CHE

OKURIBITO

GAKE UE NO PONYO

AN EDUCATION

THE HANGOVER
I'm too lazy to write the review but this film is hilarious in every sense possible. It feels like the comedy version of Jason Bourne having amnesia, tripled!

ZOMBIELAND
Very cool, I even forgot to write the review on this one, if you love blood, splatter and politically incorrect jokes, this one is for you.

THIS IS IT
Even the rehearsal video is stunning. I wonder what if the concert is really done, that must have been great.

STAR TREK
My review is lost in the stars, J.J Abrams has re-boot the Star Trek franchise to boldly go where Michael Bay will never go.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
I cannot write the review in 50 languages so I didn't write it here. I just keep it inside my head. However, the jokes are funny and I love how Quentin makes a lot of homage to old WW II films, he even put Emil Jannings and mention G.W. Pabst in this film!

WATCHMEN
Zack Snyder deconstruct superheroes in an amazing way. Sure it takes almost three hours to finish the whole shebang but it was worth it.

AN EDUCATION

Directed by: Lone Scherfig
Run time: 95 min

Let me see, a teenage girl has a special relationship with a 40 something man. That will make Optimus Prime squirms with fear wouldn't it?

Based on journalist Lynn Barber's book (I haven't read the book), this film is set in 1961 England. A bright 16 year old Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is smitten with the 40 year old David (Peter Sarsgaard). Jenny's parents are a bit overprotective but naive, they wanted their only daughter to go to Oxford.

It is logical since Jenny is smart, likes French movies and songs, avid fans of culture and sophisticated. How many 16 year old are as sophisticated as Jenny? Perhaps Lindsay Lohan is sophisticated but the last time I check she wasn't 16 anymore.

David takes Jenny to the world she could ever dream of, to fancy restaurants, cinemas, concerts, play, dog race and painting auction. David's sophistication satiates Jenny's intellectual hunger which cannot be fulfilled by her peers.

David can also charm's Jenny's naive parents up to a level taking Jenny to Paris. But if things are too good to be true, it actually aren't and the so called rude awakening makes Jenny more mature, thus, his tumultuous relationship with David has given her an education of its own.

The delicacy of this film is in the dialogue, it is sharp, witty and quotable, filled with questions unasked and moral uneasiness. This film is an education for naive women who easily charmed by well mannered men and a lesson for us all, that there is no instant way to be mature, it all need a process.

SANG PEMIMPI

Directed by: Riri Riza
Run time: 128 min

Actually I have seen this film on the first day of the release. But I just have time to write the review right now. So, excuses aside, I have to say this film is inspiring and please, those who have read the book, just stop comparing book to movie okay? It is just plain silly.

How inspiring is this film? Well it inspires you to do the simplest cardio exercise ever, running. Yes, this film features a lot of running scenes by its main actors. It seems every 15 minutes they are running here and there for the sake of simple running or sentimentality.

It must have been very tiring for the actors running here and there in several take. But at least they are healthy. Aside from running, this film is a breathe of fresh air in Indonesian movie scene.

The direct sequel of Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors) is the most anticipated movie in Indonesia. It is the first Indonesian movie to open last year's Jakarta International Film Festival. In case you wonder, Sang Pemimpi is based on the novel of the same title written by Andrea Hirata, the second of four best selling novel of his Laskar Pelangi tetralogy. With fans of the book flocking at the local cinemas, I think the chance of the third book being filmed is positive.

Casting newbies, Riri Riza doesn't shy to experiment with new actors and I have to say the new actors are natural. Not only they are originally from Belitung island, the setting of the story itself, but they can act well.

Continuing Laskar Pelangi, Ikal (Vikri Septiawan for teenage Ikal and Lukman Sardi for adult Ikal). is now a teenager and studying at local high school in Manggar. Ikal befriend Arai (Rendy Ahmad as young Arai and Nazriel Ilham as adult Arai), his distant cousin and Jimbron (Azwir Fitrianto), a teenage who is overly obsessed with horse. The rest of the cast are professionals and they contribute greatly to the quality of the film, especially Mathias Muchus as Ikal's father.

They grow together, with ups and downs in their life, trying to make ends meet and make their parents happy, and to fulfill their dreams. The story continue until Ikal and Arai left Belitung island and stay in Bogor, where they study at the University and still continuing their dream, to go to Sorbonne, France, to study there.

Using 35 mm, this film has a neo-realism approach and it looks so good on the screen, you can see the vibrant life in Manggar, Belitung and the art department is making the film more believable by showing tiny details of 80s Indonesia.

The appearance of Nazriel Ilham, better known in Indonesia as Ariel, the front man of one Indonesia's famous band, Peterpan is not distracting. Unfortunately, he only got 15 minutes of screen time and didn't speak that much. Overall, this film is a must see and after several weeks have garnered 1.5 million Indonesian viewers, a box office according to Indonesian standard and a success considering this film released on the same day as James Cameron's Avatar released in Indonesia.