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Reviews
Perjaka Terakhir 2 (2010)
Slapstick Comedy + Many LOL Moments
Perjaka Terakhir 2 is a sequel to Perjaka Terakhir. Well, not exactly a sequel per se, because the stories are not meant to be related. But the genre & the storyline are the same.
It is, to me, much better than the first film. This film has got more slapstick comedy, and truthfully, I laughed more watching it.
I am unsure whether there is a storyline, because if there is, then I am not getting it. However, I did not mean to say that it is a bad thing.
Taken on face value, this film delivers what it intends to; lots & lots of comedic moments and laughs.
This film is about a 'satpam' (security guard) who has fallen in love with a beautiful girl. Not an ordinary girl, though, as she has something up her sleeve. Well, I would not bother to divulge more, as I would not want to give out spoilers.
Watch it, I'd say. It is worth it.
Zoo (2010)
Pleasant Surprise
My, oh my. I mean, that is what I felt after watching the film. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to watch it. Part of the reason is because I knew that the film would be clichéd, and part of it is because the main cast are from the comedic group called Scenario. I have nothing against the group, but sometimes their jokes do get boring, as it is often than not, the same stuff regurgitated again and again.
However, I was pleasantly surprised with this film. Yeah, it is about talking animals, about some bad guys having sinister thoughts to steal the animals, and about a guy made as a fall guy for the theft. Yeah yeah, seen it, heard it, watched it, knew all about it. But then, what film is truly original? Whatever the producers make, there will surely be similar films, too.
The story is about a guy who can talk to animals. Whilst he persistently inform others that he can indeed talk to animals, others were skeptical about it. And to make things worse, animals began to disappear from the zoo. Yeah, you figured it. Even though he maintained his innocence, he was accused of stealing the animals.
So, he asked for the fellow buddies (read:the animals) to avenge for him. That's where the fun starts. And yeah again, you figured it. He was absolved from the accusations, and he got the girl. The end.
I'd recommend the film for lazy Sundays, with the whole of the family gathered around. As the classification is General, so no worries there.
The Happening (2008)
Great Idea .. Poor Execution
What can I say? The Happening has a great idea, but a very poor execution. The end result? A watchable film, but nothing outstanding, nor there are anything worth taking about.
I love the idea that one day, the plants, the trees, the flowers, and even the grass would stand up against humans. For all the things that we have done to them.
But this not what I have imagine. Totally! I mean, if this is all they can do, what's there to worry about? What's there to be of concern? We can just get rid of them using pesticide (which Mark Wahlberg has clearly forgotten to use in the film).
Not wanting to be a broken record, I's still have to say this. A great idea, but a poor execution. A measly 5 star out of 10 for this one. And that is being generous enough.
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)
No chemistry..
I have always Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker, the two main actors in this film. That is also my main reason to watch this film.
However, I am disappointed at how it turned out.
There were no chemistry between the two; they look more like two passersby who happened to cross each others path, than what they were supposed to be, a married couple.
If I may shed some light as to what this film is about; It is about two recently separated couple who were sent to Wyoming under the Witness Protection Program. Reason? They witnessed a murder, and that the person behind the murder is an underworld kingpin.
So they were stucked with each other.
Yeah, the premise itself is weird, but I went along with it, thinking that the two main actors can bring miracles to the story premise.
But I was left wanting more. The two lacked chemistry, and that the story weird premise didn't not fit well.
A mere 5 for the strong performances from the two other supporting actors, who were the guardians of the witnesses.
America (2009)
Insightful
America is an insightful docu-drama about the foster care system in America. A well-thought script, and a well-executed film.
America is a troubled kid, living in a foster care. He was introverted, and hid his emotions from everyone. And he kept mum when asked, and showed no emotions when perused.
He needed somebody he can trust for him to be open about himself, and that is proved hard to do.
However, he was lucky as he had a counselor who tried to befriend him. Yes, it was not easy, but even the toughest of steel can be mold.
He began to be open about himself, and letting the counselor knew of his past. Of the sexual abuse he was subjected to, of the betrayal of his 'protectors', and of the tragedy that caused his dad's life.
All told in absolute beauty. The retrospectives images were being shown, and one would be hard-pressed not to be sympathetic of him.
A great performance by all the characters, especially Rosie O'Donnell. She projected a very convincing counselor, with a heart of gold.
The film ends with a phrase; 2 out of 10 of the kids in foster won't make it once they are out of it. They are either in prison or dead.
A very brutal statistic, and a statistic not to be taken lightly. We can make a change, and it must start now!
Cintaku Selamanya (2008)
Sex Education .. American Pie Style !
Indonesia film industry seems to be basking in the glory of making adult-oriented genre. Some are pure turd, whilst some are good.
This film fits the latter; it conveys the message in a subtle way, without being preachy. And that is good. Because the target audiences are teenagers and young adults. And they did not like listening to Friday sermons and speeches.
The premise of the film is about free sex, a hedonism way of life that has huge following in the Muslim most-populous nation in the world.
So, there are sexual jokes, softcore scenes, and crude dialogs. But it does not have any nudity scenes, and that is good. Not that I am against flesh-showing or whatnot, but the film is better off without it.
The film also deals in relationships, of having unwanted pregnancies, and of sexually-transmitted diseases.
I would recommend it to other young adults; so that can be responsible of their own bodies and the consequences of having irresponsible sex.
Kudos!
Ratu: The Movie (2011)
A. Razak Should End his career.. Pronto!
A. Razak is a Malaysian director, with many titles under his belt. However, before one jumps to the conclusion that if he has done many films that means he is good, then one is sorely wrong.
He follows a basic script; make a film, throw in a unique trait in the film (e.g films featuring amateur actors, films with lots of girls), and make money out of it. Simple.
The quality of his films are appalling, with more and more worse films to choke the Malay film industry.
In this film, he tries to make us believe that there is a beauty contest, with the contestants sent out to a remote island, and let them fight for their lives. I mean, REALLY? I have always thought that is more of a Survivor rather than Next Top Models! And the film are littered with clichéd dialogs, huge gaping holes in the plots, and wooden characters who seem to only have one facial expression throughout the film.
Kudos A.Razak for belittling our industry, and making Malay film to be laughing stock to our people, and international scenes.
Death of Evil (2009)
Death of Evil ??
Awww come on! Please spare me the horror, because there ain't any! This film is a pile of turd, waiting for unsuspecting people to watch it.
The film did start on a good-footing, having me wanting to know how it develops. However, just 10minutes into the film, I have already known the ending! What's up with that? To make the film sells, the corny producer did fit in a brief sexual scenes (no full-frontal nudity, though) & I was left wondering as to what this scene complement the entire storyline? Corny dialogues were around, you'd have to duck to escape from being hit, haha. It did make the film unbelievable, to an extent it makes the film comical rather than horrifying.
No gore scenes, no overly violent scenes either. A calculative move to make it classified as General Viewing? Heck, there's more violent scenes in cartoons nowadays than this film.
All in all, a poor film, worth avoiding.
American Violet (2008)
Thought-provoking
I was recommended by a friend to watch this film, and it is his reminder to me to watch it first without having perceptions and not to come up with prejudged notions.
I did just that.
So I watched the film until the end credits, and I understood why my friend asked me not to make assumptions.
It is because of the nature of the film. It involves a very delicate subject matter; race. The nature of the film itself will make anybody aligns him/herself to make judgment based on the racial background. And it is hard to be objective about this matter.
This film is based on a true story of a colored girl who was wrongly picked up & accused of things she did not do. Instead of taking a plea bargain, she stood up for herself, to ensure her freedom & her children welfare are taken care of.
This film featured a newcomer to the film industry, & I think that she did justice to her character; she was believable & were able to make people sympathize with her.
What I like about this film is its nature, of prejudging human not based on what he/she did, but based on the color of his/her race.
& the fact that in the cultured United States boggles my mind. I mean, this is a county who portrays itself as being at the pinnacle of a cultured world, of being a model country where other countries are forced to look up to.
I live in Malaysia; a country blessed with numerous races who shared the country. it consists of many races, mainly the Malays, Chinese, Indians & others.
Race is still an issue in this country, especially since the political parties aligned themselves to races, who fight to 'protect & preserve' their respective race. However, they still manage to ensure that racial issues are settled amicably without resulting to civil unrest. & this is a country who got its independence in 1957! So to learn that United States are still finding racial background to be an issue is somewhat intriguing.
I seriously hope that the world community will treat each other with respect, regardless of color. Surely the world will be a better place.
Senjakala (2011)
Blah..
The horror genre has been used far too many times to milk the money out of the Malaysians moviegoers. It's getting to a point of not merely annoyance, but to rage & anger! Come on, why can't film producers come up with better ideas than to just create a horror films? Are they not thinking outside the box? Or are they just blatantly oblivious to the fact that they are more than just horror genre worthy of cinema? And to top it all off, this film did not even deliver the scare factor! The ending can be figured out just 15minutes into the film, and there were no horrifying scenes, except for some comical moments when the ghosts chose to make themselves appear.
I'll tell the story in my review, so as to save others the time & money of having to watch it.
This film is of a girl who felt that she has to return to her hometown, and she brought her friend with her.
She soon discover that the reason of this is because the ghost is calling to be with her! How pathetic! Then something & something, she was haunted by the ghost. But thanks to the villagers, she can rid of the ghost before the ghost causes more harm to her. End of story.
I'd rather be watching paint dry, or counting stars at night, than having to spend it watching this pile of turd.
Unthinkable (2010)
National Security vs Human Rights
Truth be told, I have absolutely no idea about what this film is about. I watched it simply because there were no other films worth watching that day. And to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised to watch it! Without giving anything away which may make me obliged to tick the 'Contains Spoiler', I am writing to let other users know what my thoughts are about the film.
The film is about one General H, and a female FBI officer, who approached a suspected terrorist, to interrogate him.
Whoever, the two officers were at a loggerheads as they did not approved the way they handled the matter. One is up for interrogating the suspect with physical injuries, whilst the other chose to handle it in a humane manner.
The question lies; at what point does human rights reign supreme to national security? The answers can differ, given the circumstances.
I can say that human rights should reign supreme, as it is the base for the constitutions, but at to what extent? I mean, if people are allowed to terrorize others and nations, then does his/her human rights still holds? At the expense of what the casualties may be? Then again, if national security is what matters, then does that mean the military/cops be allowed to subject suspects to physical torture? And isn't it the law basic tenet that all person are innocent until proved guilty, is it? Then if it is, then how is it possible that we allowed the officers to treat the suspects as though they are already proved guilty? This film portrays the dilemma in such an intricate way, it does evoke emotions, and yet, the answer to the question of human rights vs national security may not be as direct.
All in all, this film is a very good film. Whether or not is won any major awards (if it is even being nominated) it certainly won my vote.
Seru (2011)
A Big Leap in Malay Film Industry
This film marks the first Malay film's foray into the paranormal genre. Usually horror stories churned out by the industry are based from haunted houses, haunted hostels, and other haunted (fill in the blank).
As such, the crews are to be commended for their effort in creating a film that tries to break into a new genre. They are really thinking out of the box here, and the creativity itself deserves praises from the Malaysian public. And I am sure that the film will be a precedent for other films based on this genre. It is a bit like Japanese horror stories, in which the films are compared to Ju-On.
The camera work, works! It is not placed on a steady platform (because the film was carried on a hand-held camera), hence giving it a more realistic feel. Remember Cloverfield? It is more or less the same camera feel, and somehow better than Cloverfield because it is less shaky.
There are special appearance of Malaysian film stars, namely Awal Ashaari and Nora Danish. I would not call it cameo, though, because cameo appearance usually means a very short brief, and usually their names would not be mentioned in the film poster.
I shall not divulge more of the film, in terms of storyline, as I encouraged movie-goers to watch it for themselves.
Again, a truly remarkable effort from the crews; brilliant ideas & even better execution. Kudos!
Deep in the Valley (2009)
Blah...
Alright, first up. This film is intended to be what it is; a soft-core pornography with a storyline. Intended to be watched with a brain-dead mind, whilst lazing around on a Sunday morning. It could be watched with either your spouse, partners, but NEVER with your parents/kids around.
This film is okay-ish if you are not too over-analyzing the content. After all, it is not going to be nominated to some film festivals or something.
There is no full-frontal nudity; fleshes are being thrown around, but not too much. Should be okay, especially to those who wants to spark the flame, as they say.
The premise has been done numerous times, so there is no guessing the ending.
Again; I'd say that this is an okay film, nothing to shout about. However, given the circumstances, this is way better than some of the soft-core film Hollywood is churning nowadays.
Convenience Store Girls (1986)
I chuckled at my naivety
I laughed out loud at my naivety! Truly thinking that this film is a thriller, or at least a documentary, I was aghast to know that this is a pornography!
But since I've borrowed the VCD from a friend (without the cover, mind you), I've decided to watch it until the end.
The film revolves, well, around the humane urge to reproduce. I can't remember at all the storyline (are there any, by the way?) and the plots. Much less how the girls get down and dirty in the convenience store!
There are full frontal nudity & sexual intercourse, so please do not watch this with your kids, or people who opposes adult material.
Macabre (2009)
Good slasher film
Darah, or known internationally by Macabre, is arguably the best Indonesian gore/slasher film genre to date. It exceeds expectations, and delivers on what it promises; great scenes, and tensions that will keep you awake until the end credits.
The film starts rather slowly, but it soon picks up tempo at around the 20-minute mark.
There is a lack of substance in the plots, but the scenes made up for it. The graphics are cruel, crude, and certainly not for the faint-hearted.
The slashing and the blood spilling continues right until the end. The wide-eyed Maya (the woman who eats human flesh to stay immortal) is downright creepy. But the person who takes the credit for being brutal is the baby-adult, an adult which dresses like a child, bespectacled and looks retarded. He is brutal, chopping heads from the body, and looking creepy without even trying.
I commend the effort of the directors which takes the road less traveled. Nowadays, Indonesians film are littered with sex-oriented themes, and this film tries to run from the perceptions.
A cool 10/10 for its effort, and the punches it delivers!
Susah Jaga Keperawanan di Jakarta (2010)
Title Decoy
"What the Buck" was the exact words we uttered after we watched this film. It is bad enough that our command of Indonesian is not that good; but what made is worse is the fact that the film lacked substances, and are full of retarded gag reflexes.
Loosely translated as 'It is Hard to Maintain Virginity in Jakarta', the film uses the cheeky title to lure hot-blooded young males into watching this.
Good sales pitch, but a very poor film.
Nope, I do not expect to watch a porno film, but I did expect this film to deliver. How disappointed were we.
The scenes were shot in only three places; (1) at the front lobby of the hotel, (2) at the front of the 'cabaret', and (3) in the parking lot. Darn small budget the producer has, I presumed.
I was hoping that the lack of scenes can be compensated with a good storyline, but there were none.
I was left wondering why did the producers even bother to make this film, and what compelled the coffers to provide budget to this abominable trash.
My verdict : Watch something else instead.
Rintihan Kuntilanak Perawan (2010)
Super Lame Film
Let me get the fact straight; I am not being a troll, wanting to go against the general public opinion about this film. With only 9votes thus far, this film is rated at 7/10 rating, which can be misleading. Partly because the votes are small, and partly because the raters who gave it good ratings purely because they like to see an international porn star acting in Indonesian film. And the fact that most of the good votes come from male audience! The film's synopsis (or the lack of it) is nothing to shout about. But if I were to write something (just to prove that I've wasted my time watching it), the film is about a virgin who has lost her life, and seeks revenge for it.
There were no scary scenes, but there were a lot of retarded dialogs (e.g "I am a virgin, let us hop to bed tonight") and semi porno body gestures. But no full nudity, thank God for that! All in all, a very badly done film, who exploited the audiences' curiosity, and tried to cash in by taking an aging porn star to be in the film.
Casper's Scare School (2006)
Quite Good - For It's Intended Age Viewers
Casper's Scare School features Casper, a friendly ghost. The cuddly ghost is anything but scary. He is lovable, and certainly doesn't fit the typical ghosts.
A quite good animation, with a nice storyline.
Expect no twists and mysteries, as the film is predictable. But what is nice about the film is how the story develops, on how the characters blends well with each other.
I guess that the film is not intended for everyone; it is intended for young children, as they are the one who can really enjoy in the colorful scenery, the story that it intends to tell, and of the characters.
And the story comes with strong moral values, which makes it a very good watch for children.
The Legend of Awesomest Maximus (2011)
Do NOT bother
This is a stupid film, plain & simple. This film proves a disgrace to the National Lampoon series. No way this film can compare to the Chevy Chase era in the Vacation series.
The film focuses on making spoof for Troy, 300, & Gladiators. Not that the idea is a bad thing, though, but the execution is.
There are no funny jokes; just crude sexual connotations and crappy, retarded gag reflexes.
Please do something else, rather than watching this film. And please, do not get conned by the sponsored advertisers, who comments just to get you, well, conned.
Outsourced (2006)
Different Cultures
Outsourced (2006) is a story of people from different cultures, of how even the minutest of detail can be big to people who were accustomed to it.
Outsourced are played by Josh Hamilton, who stars as Todd, and Ayesha Darker, who stars as Asha.
Todd is a call centre manager who were transferred to India when the management decided to shut down the centre in America, and to move it to suburban India.
He was disappointed about it, but at the same time he was adamant that he would take up the challenge, in hopes that this will be his chance to prove his worth.
However, he was wrong when he chose to lead the call centre the same way he lead the centre in America. Problems and misunderstanding soon arose, and he was befuddled about it.
The thing about culture is that, if you not accustomed to it, it can be annoying, and at times leading to awkward moments and worse, negative perceptions.
In India, Todd met Asha, a beautiful young girl who works as a staff where Todd manages. She is a vibrant girl, full of ambitions. She helps Todd to make the call centre from being closed.
I think this is a very fine film. A film which portrays how different cultures can be very different to people who are not familiar with it. And failure to understand the difference can mean everything.
Todd's failure to understand the difference resulted in him not getting the co-operation he needed, and at the same time many people felt that he was rubbing them the wrong way. However, when he finally learned the new culture, and embrace it, he found that the team he manages become better, and he having good times working in the call centre.
All in all, a very nice, fun-for-everyone film. A recommended watch!
Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
Tamer Version
Paranormal Activity 2 follows the same premise as the previous film of the same title (which was shown in 2007). The same underlying premise of horror, of the 'unseen beings' sharing the same space of the home the family lives in.
The storyline is almost a carbon copy of its predecessor, but the execution defers a little. I find PA2 to be tamer, watered down version of the the two.
The camera-work is a little corny (and shoddy) but it did the work just fine. I also find that the scare factors were a little less harrowing than the first one.
I tend to agree the more often than not, sequel would always be seen as weaker than the original. And in this case, I tend to incline to those who think so.
All in all, a watchable film . Not as good as the first one, but still okay. But an advice, if you like repetitive films, than it is better for you to skip this one. It IS the same as the original.
Black and Blue (1999)
A great story about the grim truth of domestic violence
This is a great film, based upon a simple premise, albeit one we assume we understood when in fact we knew little about, and which most of us just couldn't care less.
The underlying premise is about domestic violence. About how dangerous it can be, about the physical and emotional impact on the victims. Yet, most of us seems to think of it as a small matter, and to ridicule the issue and belittle others who claimed to be victims of it.
The casting is very good, especially LaPaglia (who also stars in a TV series called 'Without a Trace'). And Rothraar is a darling, he embraces the character very well, worthy of a nomination in the awards.
The combination of great casting and the story premise equals a very good film. I personally recommends the film for others, especially to those who wants to know more about the issue.
Dark Arc (2004)
Insomnia Buster
This is an absolute insomnia buster. I mean, if you have trouble sleeping at night, then this is the perfect cure for you. Forget drugs, this film does it even better.
I have watched many other indie films, and I like most of them. I like watching films that are unique, out of the ordinary and different from the usual clichéd films.
But that does not mean that whatever the producers churned out under the 'indie' tag has got to be good. Unique alone does not make it good. So please do not simply accuse me of not liking this film just because this is an indie.
Not many people can succeed at being many things at the same time, Mr. Dan. You have to decide on what you are best at, and let somebody else to help you with other areas of the production of the film. At least you can get feedback, and perhaps a few pointers to make your film better.
I would rather spend my time watching other film. And I shall watch this film if, like I said, have problem sleeping. On second thought, I'd rather watch paints dry and/or watch parliamentary in sessions.
The King of Fighters (2009)
Mediocre
The King of Fighters is based from a video game of the same name. As far as adaptations go, this film is a lousy one. It is mediocre, lame & cheesy. Except for the CGI who gave this film a little bit of oomph, the other aspects fall flat.
Fans of the game would be very disappointed with this film, as they have expected more than this. The casting is poor, Ms. Maggie Q included. The acting was unbelievable, and lacks any impression.
I expected more from this film, and it is very disappointed to have to watch this mediocre film for the hour and a half I spent which was a waste of time.
Desperate Housewives: You Gotta Get a Gimmick (2010)
"Adios, Senor!"
^ That was what Juanita said when she and her parents when to meet the principal of a school her parents wants her to be in. It is also her mother's wish for her daughter to be enrolled in the best 'white kids' private school, as she felt that 'Mexican kids' go to.
Gabe is faced with questions of her ancestry, of her heritage. She does not have any Mexican friends, she does not mingle with her relatives, and in this episode you'd know why.
Meanwhile, Susan found out that her late ex-husband left her with a business of a seedy nature. And she's also found out that Mike is a visitor there.
Quite a nice episode, wouldn't mind watching it again :)