THE READER

MPAA Rating: R for some scenes of sexuality and nudity.
Runtime: 124 min


After seeing this film, I conclude, the book must have been a very good one since the film is really worth seeing. I think there are two kind of people wanting to see this film, the one who want to see an Oscar nominated film with ethical complexities, and the one who wanted to enjoy some thought provoking soft porn (as if such genre ever exist).

As always, Nazi related movies are abundant throughout the ages but this one dwelve deeper into the consciousness. This film is not an excuse but a disturbing question whether a hideous crime could be redeemed and whether a single information that can make one of the perpetrators got a light sentence is justified morally. Yes it is a very complex thing I received from this film and I think for Germans, this film is really important. I even think that this film should be in German, to give a more authentic look.

The lead character, Michael Berg (Ralph Fiennes as an adult; David Kross as a teenager) has his first meeting with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) in West Berlin in 1958. At the beginning it was just another love affair that lasted in the summer, the Last Tango in Paris kind of affair and director Stephen Daldry doesn't shy on parading nude scenes. During their so called affair, Michael reads passages of literature to her. Then Hannah vanishes only to appear later after Michael is a law student in the university with a shocking revelation: Hanna was an SS guard in Auschwitz and Michael has a piece of information that could make Hanna's sentence in the court lighter.

But revealing that, would mean revealing that Michael had an affair, would he do that? Especially after he knows what crime Hanna has done. The emotional breakdown creates a deep moral dilemma and obsessive conflict for Michael in years to come. The adult Michael sentence himself in loneliness and introversion. One cannot be wrong to guess that the adult Michael still root for Hanna but her crimes complicates the matter. Kate Winslet once again show an Oscar worthy performance and the not so known beyond Germany David Kross surely has talent.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

MPAA Rating: R for some violence, disturbing images and language.
Run time: 120 min

The five stars review and accolades of awards for this film turns me on. I expect some sort of magic or some reviewer said "triumph" of cinema. And Slumdog triumph at Oscar too with 10 nominations, so I am thrilled before I see it. I expect some kind of Atonement, Gandhi, Gladiator, Crash or even No Country for Old Men. So, good reviews with tons of awards seems a fine turn on right?

It turns out for me that Slumdog wasn't as triumphant as I thought it would be (three stars is enough for this film). It is okay but it is not as thought provoking as Revolutionary Road or as tight gripping as Frost/Nixon, even as melancholic as Benjamin Button. In fact, in general it looks cheesy and and well, wafer thin.

I wonder why reviewers in the states are so head over heels for this film, as for me, the praise is just too much. Perhaps it is cultural differences. For people who lived in Europe or United States, seeing some third world country slum with densely populated housing, rotten sewage and dirty streets plus the people inside it is something exotic or unique. As for me, the one who lives in Indonesia, such slums is reality I see and smell everyday, so there's nothing special about it. It is not that I didn't sympathize with slums but if you seen it everyday, then it is not special at all. This is added by the fact that I have seen countless Bollywood films, so the name of Anil Kapoor and Amitabh Bhachan is nothing strange to my ears, even the dance sequence is very familiar (and expected) to me.

Sure, some scenes are breathless but even from the first minute, I already know that Slumdog will end in a happy manner since hints are almost everywhere. Not much of a surprise eh?

Jamal is an orphan from the slums of Mumbai who is born into a brutal world and he has to survive all by his own by improvising almost anything. He is an Indian Oliver Twist, high-spirited and see life as something optimistic.

Played as a teenager by Dev Patel, Jamal is the contestant of Indian version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire? It turns out that he can answer all of the questions. Of course, the anchor of the show (the famous Anil Kapoor) suspect Jamal of cheating, throws him into the hands of brutal cops.

The cops interrogating him badly and by a series of flashbacks, we know why he can answer the question correctly, it is from his life experience. Oh yeah, have I forgot to mention that Jamal is desperately wants to see a girl he has known since he was a child? That one has predictability rate of 10 out of 10.

Somehow I am startled by the fact that this film was made by the same director who use to tell stories about decapitating zombies. But he's also the one who made Millions so bizarre amount of cheesiness is predictable.

As for me, it is an okay film, not award material but something that can make you smile as an escape, but it doesn't make you think hard about the meaning of life since it is just some Indian Oliver Twist tale where in the end, the boy gets the girl. Add extra 60 minutes and another 5 songs and dances, than it is just another Bollywood movie. Oh have I mention that I have seen so many Bollywood films?

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking.
Runtime: 166 min

David Fincher is no stranger to labyrinth of darkness, from Zodiac to Fight Club, now he embarks on a lighter and epic side of labyrinth, the life journey of a man.
Viewing the nature of life through a reversed lens gives us another point of view. Perhaps by looking at life in backwards, at least in physical appearance, we might have a better understanding on happiness and the strength to let go.

This film is certainly curious and live up to its promises, Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, a man who was born under unusual circumstances. He was born in 1918 as an old man - the size of a baby but afflicted with all of the problems of the aged while life around him is progressing naturally. The birth kills Benjamin's mother and, unable to cope with his son's monstrous appearance, Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng) abandons him to be taken care by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), a nurse at New Orleans nursing home. As time goes by, Benjamin grows younger and met Daisy (Elle Fanning as Daisy at age 6 and Madisen Beaty as Daisy age 11 and Cate Blanchett in the older years).

Benjamin also become a witness of many historical events including World War II. Although unlike Forrest Gump who had to met extraordinary events, Benjamin, on the other hand, is an extraordinary man who experiences ordinary events that most could relate to, like falling in love and letting go some burden of life. As he grows younger, Benjamin grows into Brad we all know from media, the Brad from Troy until the younger Brad from Thelma and Louise.

But although it has Big Fish type of story and a very magnificent production value, at certain point in the film the audience felt unattached to the life of Benjamin. It was as if Benjamin was only a mere observer without any active role. Or perhaps this is what David Fincher wanted us to feel, we are observer of our passage, left to the mercy of fate and chaos theory.

With running time that can make you want to run to the toilet, remarkably, this film doesn't bore at all, it can keep the pace and entertaining. You just cannot help being melancholic and uplifted after the credits rolled and for some, the story is simply mesmerizing and worthy to watch.

In the end, we can absorb something grand and epic this film try to tell us, that life shouldn't be measured by wrinkles on our face but by moments that defines us as a man.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

How do you break free without breaking apart?

MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content/nudity.
Run time: 119 min

We already have a peek on American suburbia in Little Children and Oscar winning American Beauty, but this film gives a new meaning of hell in suburbia of the 50s, hell defined as loveless marriage and superficial society.

Although after watching this you might feel slightly depressed and sympathize with the suffering of marriage people. The acting and narrative story telling is brilliant, after all this is the first reunion of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet since Titanic (1997). And somehow, it deserves all fancy nomination in the upcoming Golden Globe or even Oscar.

Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) met in a party and married ever since. But two beautiful kids, a nice home, 9-5 jobs and friendly (but sometimes superficial) neighbor wasn't enough for them. They do not know what they want in life and still figuring out what real happiness is. There's the hollowness and hopelessness that cannot be defined and at one point, it seems the plan for the Wheelers to move to Paris seem a good idea for escaping the boredom and hell of suburban life.

It was April who convinces Frank to move to Paris after she got a poor review for her performance in a local production and see the signs that her youthful dreams seem to fade away, Paris is seen as a necessary escape.

In the meantime, to kill the boredom, Frank has an affair with a secretary and April has a one night stand with her neighbor. All those boredom and repressed feeling exploded as April suddenly pregnant with the third child, in a violent verbal fight, everything went loose cannon. Not only that ruin the plan to go to Paris but a promotion for Frank in his job also play a major role.

To make matters more interesting, none of the neighbors actually understand the hopelessness and unhappiness of the Wheelers, only a mentally ill man named John Givings (Michael Shannon), the grown son of the Wheelers' real estate agent, Helen (Kathy Bates) seem to understand, with cruel words and merciless judgment, the severity of the Wheeler's zero fantasy marriage. I have to say, even the performance of Michael Shannon deserves another nomination for this film and I wouldn't be surprised if Leo and Kate also get one, they surely has mature a lot since Titanic.

In a shocking end, some single men/women might re-think their plan of getting married after seeing this film. Revolutionary Road is mesmerizing, disturbing, intelligent, a bit depressing for single people, thought-provoking and a triumph for superficiality of suburban life that gives you the taste of harsh reality.

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexuality, and smoking.
Runtime: 96 min

This is threesome love story according to Woody Allen which still maintain his style, the same font used in the opening scene is the same in almost all his movie, and the cast name is being put in alphabetical order.

In this film, we meet two best friends, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), who decide to spend summer in the city of Barcelona, Spain, thus explaining the title easily.

By some weird narration, we know that Vicky engaged to Doug (Chris Messina) when she returns to New York while Cristina is more impulsive and has childlike quality that will make your eyebrows met in the middle of your forehead.

In the middle there's the Spanish cassanova, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), an abstract painter who had a tumutltuous scandal with Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz). As some 17 year old with raging hormones could predict, these people are enganged in a web of love, one night stand, threesome acts, lustful violence and despair to a level where you start to question the level of stupidity.

Not that this film is stupid, it is just that the degree of impulsiveness (is there such thing like that?) is beyond belief but also realistic, makes you wonder that for love, people will do anything and for this film, it is just weird. This is not as good as Annie Hall or Match Point but still can make you ponder about the nature of love and despair.

Like most Woody's work, it is hard to categorize this film as a romantic one, since it is also funny in a weird way, although not as funny as Scoop. Seeing this film makes you feel as if it is some hidden tourism promotion for Barcelona. I can't blame that, the scenery and building is very beautiful.