5 BROKEN CAMERAS

Directed by: Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi

Running time: 90 minutes

A Palestinian peasant and an Israeli director teams up to tell a story about Israeli occupation? For most people who thinks that the conflict is as easy as black and white, this is revealing. But for those who read news carefully and watch as many films and documentary about the conflict they can make an opinion that not all Israeli citizen approving the occupation and this is not a religious conflict.

Nominated for Best Documentary in this year's Academy Awards and coincidentally racing with another documentary, The Gatekeepers, a documentary about Shin Bet's role in Israel's defense, this one is quite horrifying.

Just like the title itself, this documentary was made by 5 broken cameras. Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat bought his first camera in 2005 to record his youngest son, Jibril. But living in Bil'in, a village in the West Bank is not easy. Israeli settlements took their land and the villagers fought back peacefully. They demonstrated against the illegal settlement and Emad record all of the demonstration with his cameras which is broken by the Israeli soldiers, by a bullet.

The Israeli soldiers respond with brutal force, they do not hesitate to use live bullets that killed some of the villagers. The settlers burn their olive trees and most of the demonstration does not ended peacefully. In one scene Israeli soldiers arresting children which is crazy, why would soldiers arresting children? These are the people that defend their own land but yet they were treated just like animals.

Burnat's document the confrontation up close and personal, he himself even got arrested and as time goes by (it spans over six years since 2005), his camera starts to consume his life. The raw material gives a close look on how common people in Palestine must face occupation and how children are used to face violence in front their very own eyes.

No matter how violent the Israeli soldiers are, the villagers does not break in spirit, they keep fighting and resisting.

Rooted in everyday reality, I think Israelis should watch this and see how their own soldiers 'behave' and perhaps ponder about the occupation. As for other people not related to the conflict directly, they can see the awful truth about occupation.

Told completely from Emad's point of view, it is not just the resistance being filmed but Emad's daily life too, including how the adorable Jibril grow up from a baby into a child that began to understood things around him. Should this one win in the Oscar, I think it will increase people's awareness that occupation still happen in the 21st century.

A ROYAL AFFAIR

Directed by: Nikolaj Arcel

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Mikkel Boe Føesgaard

Running time: 137 minutes

Equal rights, freedom of speech, healthcare, rights of the peasants, establishing orphanage is nothing new today, but not 250 years ago where such ideas are considered as dangerous, especially since the world is still under the chains of feudalism and conservative aristocracy.

The books and ideas of French enlightenment pop stars, Voltaire and Rousseau arrived in Denmark in the 18th century under the arm of Dr. Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen), a German physician who was hired to care for the childish and young King Christian VII. Not only advising the king with radical ideas that will change Denmark in ages to come (and ideas that will change Europe in form of French Revolution too). Not only that, between advising the King he also slept with Queen Caroline (Alicia Vikander).

Why would this Queen, a woman of higher social status at that time, risking everything with a commoner? It is not sex or physical appeal but how their mind connect with each other that fuels the forbidden love.

Nominated in the Best Foreign Language in this year's Oscar alongside Amour, Rebelle and Kon-Tiki, this rich history drama felt like Game of Thrones PG-13 version, but this was true story and they are all historical figure. Supported by good acting, the first half felt a little bit too long and the second half is exciting. Overall it is well-crafted drama that can teach Hollywood that a film about period romance can also talk about politics in a sexy way.

I think how ideas of freedom and equality evolves in the world is something interesting to be filmed, it will show the people that what we enjoy today is a result of ongoing struggle that sometimes involves war and oppression. The fight for equality and freedom is will never stop, it shall always be renewed and fight every time.

REBELLE

Directed by: Kim Nguyen
Starring: Rachel Mwanza, Serge Kanyinda, Mizinga Mwinga
Running Time:  90 min.

This Canadian entry for Best Foreign Language in this year's Oscar tells a harrowing and gut wrenching story from an unnamed country in Africa. It could be anywhere, but the exact location is not important since this thing can happen in any country.

Is this a new trend in Canadian cinema, making movies that takes place entirely on foreign soil that sells good for film festivals around the world just like Incendies? I am still looking for a Canadian film that tells story about Canadian living in Canada with Canadian problems in it. I know it existed somewhere.

Harrowing and will leave a bad taste in your memory about the cruelty in Africa, the story is about Komona (Rachel Mwanza) a 12 year old girl kidnapped by band of rebel army to become a child soldier. Her first act is to kill her own parents. Haunted by her parents ghost, Komona must adapt to the harsh life of a child soldier where he met a fellow soldier named Magician (Serge Kanyinda) an albino African.

After some shootout with the government forces where Komona survives, Komona promoted to be the witch of the band. Apparently superstition and 'black magic' still had powers there. Cannot stand the harsh life of being a child soldier, Komona and Magician runs away and try to start a new life. But more unspeakable tragedy ensues.

With no Canadian in this film the language used is French and Lingala (the language spoken in Congo), and it does not rely on cheap stunt to draw sympathy. Things flows as it is and makes you wonder that life is hard, too hard for these people who have no choice to make their living.

Rachel Mwanza herself was a street kid in Kinshasa and won best actress prize at Tribeca Film Festival. I always liked it when a director put unknown names on screen instead of  marquee name, it tells the story more natural and believable.

KON-TIKI

Directed by: Joachim Rønning
Starring: Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Agnes Kittelsen, Gustaf Skarsgård, Jacob Oftebro
Running time: 118 minutes

There's a saying in Indonesia; "My ancestors were sailors". As an archipelago, long long time ago (not in a galaxy far far away), we had tough sailors. I myself have once heard the Kon-Tiki tale when I was a kid, I read it in a used book somewhere and I find it amazing (also crazy) to sail across the fierce ocean with a hand made raft not made in today's technology.

I thought Norwegian only good at ski sport, but they can sail too. It is proven by Thor Heyerdahl who sail from Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian Island in 1947 with bands of men to prove his theory that the Polynesian people were originated from South America, not Asia. He made the documentary of his 6900 km voyage, titled also Kon-Tiki which won Oscar at the Academy Awards in 1951.

Now, it becomes something of a kind that the dramatized version of this Norway hero, also running for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscar. Should this beat Amour (A tough one since most people are 70% sure that Amour will win), a beautiful history will be made.

For your information; only six other Norwegian films have ever been nominated for an Oscar, besides the original Kon-Tiki documentary, there were the animated short film Den danske dikteren, which also won, plus Ni Liv in 1957, Veiviseren in 1988, Søndagsengler in 1996 and Elling in 2001.

Acted by Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen, the film told Heyerdahl's struggle to have his voyage financed. Eventually he had the money from private loans and donation from United States Army and strength from his wife, Liv (Agnes Kittelsen).

Together with refrigerator salesman  Hermann Watzinger (Anders Baasmo Christiansen), Torstein Raaby (Jakob Oftebro), Knut Haugland (Tobias Santelmann) and Erik Hesselberg (Odd-Magnus Williamson) they sail to the sea.

Although the raft was made with the same technology existed 1500 years ago, what they carry are a little bit modern. They had food supply they stocked for 100 days, shark repellant, radio, even books.

The whole film is beautiful, it does not overly glorify Heyerdahl as a hero, but make him as a human. Most of the scenes are at sea and some scenes will remind you of Life of Pi. In a normal Hollywood movie, these men will engage in fist fight once they are at sea, but here, it does not succumbs to such cliche, and that is what I like.

One scene is very beautiful where the camera zooms out the raft until the sky being seen and then the earth, up to the sky where milky way galaxy above the earth and then zoom in slowly back to the sea. It is amazing and humbling, it makes us realize how small we are in this universe.

LES MISÉRABLES

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen

Running time: 158 minutes

In just one movie, you can see Wolverine, that guy from Gladiator, Catwoman, Borat and Belletrix Lestrange, and they all sing. I have to say musicals are not my strong point. This genre is not my favorite. I find it difficult to enjoy (the story is in the song lyrics you know? You don't say!) and I'd rather watch any movie from Andrei Tarkovsky than any musicals.

However I shall not look down upon this one since it has garnered eight Oscar nomination, plus seeing Wolverine sing for two and a half hours can be a new experience for a guy like me. I wanted to know, why does Oscars love musicals so much?  Especially since Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) is the one behind the camera.

Set in the middle of 19th century, prisoner 24601, known as Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself. He was jailed because he stole bread to feed his starving family. Asa a prisoner he knows Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), a hard man with fervent belief that once a thief will never change into something better. Fast forward into several years later, Valjean has changed into a wealthy man. But he must escape the persistent Javert while saving a poor factory worker, Fantine (Anne Hathaway) and taking care her illegitimate daughter.

Actually I am looking forward to see the non-musical adaptation (the 1998 version with Liam Neeson as Valjean) since the theme of the story is interesting. It is not just about love, but about redemption, belieef, sacrifice, human rights and justice for all.

But this one does not disappoint, although my ears are sort of tired paying more concentration to understand the lyrics (If the film is in English language, I do not turn on the subtitle) and I have no idea what Les Misérables is except that it was a book written by Victor Hugo and this one is adapted from the famous stage musical adapted from that book. Too much adaptation?

With almost no spoken dialogue (even the 'normal' dialogue felt like it was tuned to singing), this is a segmented film. What I like is how the visuals give a grand feeling. It does not make me feel as if Tom Hooper just put a camera at the theater stage, it gives me a certain cinematic feeling.

The acting is superb. I can see why Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman got nominated at the Oscars. Hathaway raw performance manages to project desperation, dreams and sadness. From what I read, instead of recording the songs before shooting, Hooper change the strategy by making the performers really do sing as the shooting process progressed, thus it makes the acting something of a kind.

As for the songs I cannot give comment since I am not an expert on musicals and the one and only song I know is I dreamed a dream and that is because Susan Boyle has sung it several years ago.

Overall, my personal taste aside, this one is a decent film and deserves to be nominated in the best picture category.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio
Running time: 165 minutes

This is your typical Quentin Tarantino movie, long run time, quirky dialogue, homage to classical movies, violence and gore. So if you do not want to see blood everywhere (or Jamie Foxx's balls, or perhaps his stand in's balls in which I do not understand the necessity of depicting that on the screen) avoid this film.

Story wise, Django is a homage to Spaghetti Western genre. The title itself remind viewers with the film Django in the 70s, the score reminded of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and the look is as western as possible.

Jamie Foxx is Django, a slave freed by a German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). As to why the bounty hunter must be German I have no idea. Sure, Waltz has once played a psycho Nazi soldier in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and an Austrian descent, but why must be a German? Does his character a homage into something else?

Logic aside, they both become bounty hunter in the time where slavery considered as normal. As always they face people who stood in their way and shootouts ensues. Here is where the violence is 'necessary' and the use of 'n' word can make people who lives in present time and not a fan of hip-hop/rap, cringe. I can understand why Spike Lee hated this film, although it is better for Lee to watch it first then hate it later.

But those so called violence and human degradation in forms of slavery reminded us that once, a society was bad and rotten to the core. Slavery is absurd and does not make any sense, but it is a historical fact that need to be presented as it is to remind us that all men are created equal.

I think the first half of the film is entertaining, but the second half felt as if it is being overextended to fill 165 minutes of duration. It is not as exciting as Inglourious Basterd, but a decent one. The acting is good, although there is nothing new from Christoph Waltz. He acted Schultz almost similar to what he did in Inglourious Basterd. Jamie Foxx is convincing as always and Leonardo DiCaprio seem a little bit wasted here. He could have been more mean.

Funny, smart and violent I don't know why Django made it to this year's best picture contender. Sure it is good, but not amazing. I'd rather have Seven Psychopaths or TIME magazine worst film of 2012; Cloud Atlas (I personally loved this one) to fill the spot in best picture category than this one.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Directed by: David O. Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
Running time: 122 minutes.

A film about two people having difficulties to deal with their own problems is always interesting. As long as it does not curse itself with typical self-help words that can make you (well not you, perhaps just me, the cynical one) cringe with disbelief, I am on it. Not only that, the title itself reminded me of an expression I learned at English lesson at school; every cloud has a silver lining.

This is a rare film that manages to repackage love story into something new and fresh. With Bradley Cooper as Pat and Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany this is a story about how two psychologically wounded people find each other.

Pat has just been out after staying in a psychiatric hospital for eight months, courtesy of the court since Pat acted violently after finding out his wife cheating on him. Personally I think what Pat did was 'understandable'. Anyone would have been flipped out finding their wife in a shower with another guy. However Pat seems cannot move on, he still loves his wife (despite the restraining order).

Losing his house and job, Pat lives with his parents, father (Robert De Niro) and mother (Jacki Weaver) and soon we can tell where he got his 'quirkiness' and how the remnants of Pat's mental illness still there. His father also just lost his job and became a bookie for football match. Believing in superstition makes you think, how come his father also not admitted in the mental hospital?

Then Pat meet Tiffany in a strange way. They soon become attracted to each other and the rest is quite predictable but not boring. I like how the story goes and how David O' Russell did not rely on corny songs to built up emotions. The actors and actress in this film are good. Cooper and Lawrence had chemistry and I like how Chris Tucker suddenly appear in the film. By letting things flows as it is in the film, we are allowed to found or own silver linings.

THE IMPOSSIBLE

Directed by: J.A. Bayona

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland

Running time: 113 minutes

Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.

After Life of Pi tells us the strength of human spirit, comes this sleeper film about surviving amidst the tsunami disaster in 2004. Based on true story (expect some dramatization), The Impossible does not tell us the story on a global scale but it focused on how a family survived the disaster.

Actually I am afraid that this sort of film will rely on corny soundtrack or overly dramatized content to withdraw viewer's tears but my fears were not proven to be true. J.A. Bayona manages to tell a human and touching story without relying on those cliches.

Set in Thailand, a family of unknown nationality (Ewan is British and Naomi is Australian in case you wonder), Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor) and his wife, Maria (Naomi Watts), had brought their three sons there for a vacation. 

But the happiness last only for a few minutes until a huge tidal wave crash everything. Here is where the special effect takes place and I have to say it was so good it makes you horrified. It looks tense and I hold my breath as Maria submerged into the water. The family is split apart. Maria and her oldest son, Lucas (Tom Holland) stranded while her husband and the other two younger sons, Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) are gone.

What will happen next? Are they dead? Will Maria manages to survive with her son while she is bleeding? By not revealing the nationality of the family, Bayona able to convey a universal story about human struggle in time of difficulties.

Naomi Watts shines here, we see her bled, exhausted and struggle just to stay alive and the child actors are also great. They look natural, especially Tom Holland who can embody Lucas from just a terrified child into a brave one. Prepare some tissues to shed some manly tears.

AMOUR

Directed by: Michael Haneke

Starring: Alexandre Tharaud, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant

Run time: 127 min 

When I know that Michael Haneke is the one behind this simple titled movie, I know I will be watching something unusual and out of the box. I haven't seen Cache but I have seen Das Weisse Band which I really like.

This is a story of love, told in a cold, moving and uncompromising way. What will happen when an old couple must face their mortality and one of them is sick? It is not an easy question to answer. I have to say the ending makes me feeling uneasy, it felt like a hit into the stomach but also as a tender warm hug, a final act of true love, not in a cheesy way.

It tells the story about Georges and Anne (breathtaking performance by veteran Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva). They are in their 80s and lived in a nice apartment. It looked like that they had a happy life in their youth. 

One day Anne suffer a mild stroke that affect her right part of her body and as time goes by, accompanied by dementia. Living just the two of them in the apartment, Georges must face his fear; to witness the one he loved dearly suffer and her memory eroded. 

One scene is really beautiful, as Anne (still in a good condition), peruse the photos attached to the book and comment "C'est beau, la vie" (Life is beautiful) I realized that this is a beautiful film. Well, not in a mainstream way since most of the scenes are inside the apartment.

Emanuelle Riva is amazing, at 85 she can acted very well and convincing. Jean-Louis Trintignant is also good, he can act as a worry husband and as the film progress, began to suffer silently.

Filmed almost entirely inside the apartment with static feeling and some emotional distance, Amour is thought provoking. In the time where life expectancy is getting better and better, what will happen if we ever reach old age? Who will take care of us and what sort of love will prevail?

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, Edgar Ramirez, Joel Edgerton, James Gandolfini
Running Time: 159 min

Maya (Jessica Chastain) can only held her breath. Her long search of the man who is responsible for 9/11 attack all comes to this, a final raid on a compound in Abbotabad, Pakistan, without the consent of Pakistani government. She had spent the last 10 years hunting Bin Laden, the guy Americans used to love in the 80s for fighting the Soviets. Now it all comes to this, she is not even sure who lived on the suspicious compound. After the breath taking raid it is clear that the one who got killed in the third floor of the compound is bin Laden himself. Maya stares into the blank, her objective has been fulfilled. But now what? Does the war of terror is over?

It is an uneasy question for Americans (and also an answer to Morgan Spurlock's Where in the world is Osama bin Laden), does the hunt for bin Laden must comes at the price of betraying the so called American values? Why do the U.S who always loved to 'import' democracy practice torture to prisoners? It is also uneasy that this film suggest that the whereabouts of Bin Laden was successfully found because CIA tortures prisoners. Tortures 'does' work and this one create a storm in the U.S.

Hypocrisy is one of the theme and it shows that U.S acted out of anger, fear and lust for revenge. It all comes with the price of compromising their values. As for me such things aren't new. I have seen the documentary Taxi to the Dark Side and read news from the newspapers. Tortures and events presented by Bigelow as journalistic, not editorial. She let the viewers decide how to feel.

Zero Dark Thirty is quite heavy and a strong Oscar contender from the first ever female director to won an Oscar for The Hurt Locker. Started with a blank screen accompanied by the distress 911 call from the event in 9 September attack, the film progress with Maya's determination to find Bin Laden by visiting war zones. At some point the CIA seems to lost interest in Bin Laden, but it is Maya's cold determination for all these years that brought the SEAL team to Abbotabad, Pakistan.

This is an exceptional film, with not so much action, but manages to built up the thrill through a series of people just talking and stalking. The torture scenes are not gory but difficult to watch and Jessica Chastain proves that she is a good actress. Perhaps she will nail Best Actress in this year's Oscar.