Sous Le Ciel de Paris

It is very rare for me to find a character in a film that I could relate to. It perhaps has to do with the films that I watch anyway. I don’t think anybody could find it easy to relate with Princess Leia or Sookie Stackhouse or Hermione Granger fighting off Death Eaters with Petrificus Totalus. I’ve seen a lot of fantasy, comic based blockbusters lately and not much of real drama. Therefore I decided to watch An Education the other day. I’ve been meaning to see it since last year but I kept putting it off, saving the best for last sort of thing.

I’m so charmed by the film I’m now blogging about it. For you who haven’t seen it (shame on you!), the film is about Jenny, a charming and intelligent teenager on the late 60s London, who was bored to death by her school and strict parents. In an eventful rainy encounter, she met a charming older guy played by Peter Sarsgaard, who then managed to seduced her and her whole family with his wit, glamour and worldliness. Who the hell in the world doesn’t want to to picked up on the street by a Peter Sarsgaard anyway? I don’t blame her at all.

I’d like to think Jenny is every women. Aren’t we all at one point in our life must have dreamed about being seduced by a charming older guy who takes you to expensive restaurants, concert even Paris and woo you with flowers and gifts? The fact that this film is based on true story and a memoir by Lynn Barber made this even more incredible and heart breaking all at once. I’m blushing like a school girl when Peter seduced Jenny and grimaced upon recognizing myself on Jenny’s remarks about ‘going to Paris, wear blacks, smoke cigarette in un cafe’. She’s a Francophile much like moi.

There’s one scene where Jenny lying on the floor, singing and humming to Juliette Greco’s Sous Le Ciel de Paris playing on the portable gramophone. I was She. I was, not many years ago, that girl who always dream to get away and be magically transported. I am still that girl who can’t wait to grow up, live the world and be a glamorous vixen who smokes and putting on red lipstick. Reading Fitzgerald and too much Jazz ruined me for life, I’m afraid.

I don’t know if this entry should be tagged under ‘film’ or ‘personal rubbish’. Maybe I should just put it under ‘bric-a-brac’ to suit the French mood.

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Awesome Idea for Movie Night

(via poppytalk)

Such a perfect way to spend a breezy, summer nights. Anyone care to lend me a overhead projector please leave message.

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A Generation of Eat, Pray, Love...and No Enlightenment Coming

Coming this August, Ubud is taking a deep breath while bracing its tiny village self to welcome new kind of tourists into the gate: flock of depressive divorcee seeking spiritual enlightenment or perhaps love. There has been a steady stream of tourists flooding the much appraised green fields and yoga studio around Ubud since Eat, Pray, Love book hits Oprah big time. Five stars hotels started to create “Eat, Pray, Love” Package Tour (complete with a certain visit to a certain Yoda-esque psychic, or so I heard). All of sudden, being in Ubud is an über-cool thing to do.



It was not that many years ago that a trip to Ubud was just a long drive for nothing except to soothing the eyes and getting away from all the hullabaloo of Denpasar. To had a bite of Murni’s poppy seed cake or spoiled the eyes by watching my favorite Walter Spies’s painting. Now going to Ubud is a Must. I can’t say I blame those tourists. It is a lovely place, my weekend getaway to find world class second hand reading materials, scrumptious cakes, cultural wandering in what possibly some of the best art museums in Indonesia. On the way, I could have a bite (or two) of the succulent pork ala Ibu Oka or getting down and dirty with Naughty Nuri’s finger licking ribs. The catch is: I now have to share it with thousands of people.



God of Marketing, Hermawan Kartajaya wrote in his new book Ubud: The Spirit of Bali

The essence of Marketing 3.0 is when marketing isn’t pretending anymore but expressing the real value of a product. Ubud is a place which has amazing inner value, a place where God, men and society blend together. This is why Ubud has such an incredible value, unique characteristic that no other places on earth possessed.

Or in the other words, where Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese philosophy of harmony between God, Human and Environment, really do co-exist. I learned that at school but like another Utopian ideas in books, I didn’t think it actually exist in this complex layers of life in Bali. Over populated, over developed and always being cautiously under threat by the extremist, we are not exactly the happy people we used to be. Yes, we still smiles to make tourists feel welcome. It is our main occupation after all and after all these years in hospitality business, it becomes a sort of gag reflex. Very much the same reflex when we hit a mosquito that bites.



To go back to this whole Hollywood business of eating, praying and loving, I do feel as a Balinese, anxious to see how Bali is now portrayed in cinema magic. Will it push Indonesia into a new level like what Slumdog Millionaire did to India? Or will it just brings more tourists to Ubud? We will soon see.

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I Eat, Pray, Love for Julia & Javier

...so that they will come to Bali and shoot their new adaptation movie "Eat, Pray, Love" based from Liz Gilbert's best-selling memoir. Above, a pic of Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) divorcing her husband (James Franco), taken in NYC.

Based from an article in The Jakarta Post, the third part of the movie will be filmed in Bali (after Italy and India for sure). Keep watching this space for future update. I'm so stalking Julia and Javier Bardem from now on. J & J watch is on, people!

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J'adore Don Draper

What is not to love from Don Draper? His dark and cool exterior, persuasive and insightful performance in board meetings, not to mention his boudoir actions with various different women. Even his excessive chain smoking looks hot. Oh Don, you can harass me anytime!

I first learned about this show from my cousin who told me excitedly: "You're going to love the dresses!". She knows about my peculiar obsession with vintage clothing. I spent an entire week drawn to that American era when smoking was still considered healthy in addition to the men being proud sexist pigs and had not a clue about the words "sexual harassment". I enjoyed every second of the meeting and brain storming scenes where you can see all types of advertising individuals in action. The supporting characters are richly pictured in their own trouble and glory. The office affair, intrigue, competition...some things are always stay the same. Have I mentioned the setting? Oh my. It will need a blog of its own to describe the meticulous details it has, from the set design to the vintage clothing.

My favorite Don Draper's quote:

What you call love is was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons. You're born alone and you die alone and this world just drops a bunch of rules on top of you to make you forget those facts. But I never forget. I'm living like there's no tomorrow, because there isn't one

So in this joyous momentum to celebrate Mad Men's third season, AMC made this fun game of turning yourself into one of the Mad Men's character: Mad Men Yourself. You can use the character in your facebook, twitter or even your desktop. This is me visiting Sterling Cooper's office :-)

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Bonjour Française!

Click here for complete schedule

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Free Screening "Une Femme est Une Femme"

Friday, April 17, 2009
7pm
Alliance Française
Jalan Raya Puputan I No. 13A
Renon - Denpasar

Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Anna Karina, Jean-Claude Brialy, Jean-Paul Belmondo
1961/80mins./Comedy
French with English subtitle

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SapiMalas’s Must Watched Movies List

Slumdog Millionaire

A boy trying to win 20 million rupees from “Who Wants to be A Millionaire” kind of quiz, win the heart of a girl and dodging the police’s suspicion. Based on a best-seller book titled “Q&A” by Vikas Swarup, it also recently won the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures award as the Best Film of 2008.

Doubt
Meryl Streep as the Principal of Catholic School. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the charismatic priest, accused of “paying too much attention” to one of the student. Enough said.

The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas
I know what will happen since I’ve read the book. I’d love to see how the tragic story from the perspective of a child, will be translated into movie.

Revolutionary Road
Kate Winslet and Leonardo diCaprio are back as a couple! Finally, he looks compatible and believable enough to be Kate’s object of affection. I hope nobody will drown this time.

Tale of Despereaux
(or to be descriptive: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread)
Love the book! I can’t wait to see the Mouse Knight saving The Princess in action.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story about a man who was born in his eighties and aged backwards. I want to see Brad Pitt’s transformation from old age into childhood. Plenty of Oscar buzz included.

Defiance

I can’t get enough of World War II movies. Buff, army guys is one reason. Another reason is I love to see combat action with not too much special effect. This one has Daniel Craig in it. Yummy.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
This movie said to be the next cult hit as “Juno” did last year. The soundtrack already became a instant hit. I find Michael Cera’s dorky face very adorable.

The Brothers Bloom
I find Adrien Brody’s starving feature very sexy. I’d love to see him playing con-man in pursuit of a rich heiress, Rachel Weisz. Rinko Kikuchi who once amazed the audience by her brazen role in Babel, also makes her comeback.

Valkyrie
Dear Tom…finally! I’m getting used of your long absence post-matrimonial bliss period.

Local Color
The yahoo movie description says: A talented but troubled art school student befriends an elderly alcoholic genius painter who has turned his back on art and life. I say, based on the many awards it already won and displayed in the poster, it should be good.

Happy-Go-Lucky
I always try to look at glasses as half-full. I’d like to see how the heroine also struggle to do the same.

Don’t you just love Oscar season! Plenty of good movies, beautiful screenplay and brilliant acting.

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To Describe How Suck 21 Cineplex is in Bali...

is to tell you that I just watched "Sex & the City" last Saturday night. I might as well say good bye to watching "Twilight" this year.

Anyone care to make a joint venture for a new theater in Bali?

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Horror Movie Wisdom

1. When it seems that you've killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead.
2. If you find that your house is built upon or near a cemetery, or ws once a church used for black masses, had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in some horrible fashion or who performed necrophilia or satanic practices, move away immediately.
3. Do not search the basement, especially when the power has just gone out.
4. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they do not know, or if they speak using a voice other than their own, shoot them at once. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. Note: it's unlikely they'll die easy, so be prepared.
5. When you have the benefit of numbers, never go alone.
6. If you're searching for something which caused a noise and find out that it's just the cat, leave the room immediately if you value your life.
7. If you're running from the monster, you will most likely trip or fall. If you are female you will.
8. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (God help you if you recognize this one), the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine, especially if it is called Derry.
9. If your car runs out of gas at night, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.
10. When something bad is chasing you, bear in mind that when you try to start your car, no matter how reliable the vehicle is normally, you'll have to crank the engine over many times before it will fire up.
11. People arriving to rescue you generally get ambushed by the monster, so don't rely on them as your only means of escape. In fact, expect to be surprised and delayed by encountering their flayed corpse at some point.
12. Do not call the police as they are either evil and will turn you in or will not believe you and laugh at you. Either way, you must handle the problem yourself.
13. If you are using a gun to combat the all-comsuming evil, it is a good idea to quickly find a new means of defense, because no matter how much ammo you have, you'll run out just before you kill the monster (unless your name is Ash, in which case, you'll never have to reload).
14. If you have defeated the monster, pay close attention to the camera, if it pans away for no apparent reason at all, get the heck out of there.
15. Skeptics are always proved wrong in some horrible, nasty, painful way. Be a believer.
16. If you are a child, don't panic! Monsters only attack overly horny teenagers. Children can NOT be killed in a movie, only possessed or absorbed. So cheer up!
17. If you've beaten the monster into a bloody pulp and you're sure he must be dead, take the opportunity to dismember, burn, eat, blow up or otherwise utterly destroy him.

From a forwarded e-mail I received from Mr. D. Thanks D!

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European Film Festival 2008

Annual European Film Festival is in town! Alliance Francaise Denpasar will play host to this year festival on November 8 & 9. Click here for schedule and synopsis.

Free entry. Be sure to arrive on time for there are only 30 seats available and enjoy.

For details, contact Alliance Francaise Denpasar (0361) 234143

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Oh Indy

For two hours, I spent my precious Saturday night by being stuck to the average sized theater seat with a silent elbow battle to fight supremacy over the armchair rest with the stranger next to me. The opening score left me breathlessly happy. Ta-da-dah-dah, I hummed to the dismay of the elbow loser next to me. A kicked back to the good ol’ time when I was watching Indy with my dear Papi was just what I need.

However after two hours of speed racing in the jungle, in town and in library (!), crawling under spider’s web and between dead skull, and Double Indy actions (one with whip, the junior with comb), it started to feel flat. I don’t know what the problem was but the magic of Indiana Jones was lost for me. Perhaps because I am older or by now is so used to special effect, that nothing surprise me anymore. Not even the incredible collapse of El Dorado.

One thing I know for sure is:

Forget Hallmark and check this if you want to send someone special an e-card they would never forget. Or forgive, for that matter.

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French Movie Festival

Spring is coming. The birds are chirping. The flowers are blooming. We, of course, cannot feel ths joy of having a spring in Bali. It doesn't mean we cannot celebrate it, since luckily the French gift us the famous and much anticipated event of the year (at least for this sapimalas).

Yes, finally the French Movie Festival is coming to town! This sapimalas just couldn’t stop smiling although not laughing because the French Consulate in Bali only sponsored four movies this year (Where is “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”?). Can’t complain tough, four is still better than nothing at all. Greedily, this sapimalas mooing for four free tickets (yes, free) in the Alliance Francaise Denpasar. The helpful and kind staff who parlez such a enviable French assist moi and voila, four tickets are in my hand!

Those four movies will be played for two days on April 26 and April 27, 2008; obviously in our beloved two screens only cinema, Galeria Simpang Siur. Those four movies are:

-Serko (Adventure/100min./subtitle in English)
About an equestrian adventure of a horse named Serko and a boy named Dimitri. Set in Russia on 1889.
-Flandres (Drama/91min./subtitle in English)
Historical drama about love, war and everything in between. The intriguing part is it was showed in Cannes Festival 2006 Grand Prix. Should be good.
-Les Témoins (Drama/112min./subtitle in English)
The poster reminds me of “Closer” (starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen). The setting is on the year of 1984 where AIDS started to show up and haunt the lifestyle of person involved in the story.
-“Mon Petit Doigt m’a Dit…” (Comedy/Mystery/ 105min. /subtitle in English)
…or “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” in English telling story about Prudence and Belisaire Beresford from Agatha Christie’s detective story. It should be funny since the leading actress is Catherine Frot, one of the best French actress.

A Bientôt!

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Jiffest 2007 & The Movies Within

I know I’ve been complaining continuously about Jakarta. I (and its millions of inhabitatans) keep on ranting of bus-corrupting government, daily traffic (more of this rage in previous blog), endless development of new megamall and apartement, U.S.A and U.K franchise attack with its end-of-the-year-sale, surging flood which recently cut the airport route in addition to tons of other problems happening in this all-in capital of Indonesia.

But like another big cities, living in Jakarta also comes with privileges. If you happen to have an abundance of rupiah, that is. The grandiose malls easily beat Singapore or Malaysia (ehem). You can buy everything from the highest or the cheapest price possible in Jakarta (try shopping in Plaza Indonesia and Mangga Dua then you’ll see what I mean). That new It-Bag from Chloe. Check. The new fake Louis Vuitton bag. Check. Anything. It is a heaven for all kind of shopper. I haven’ t mention the food, have I? It is worth its own blog. Any kind of food in Indonesia and the world are there in Jakarta. That is why I keep coming back and more people still coming, despite the risk and demanding life. Jakarta can tease and kiss, but it also can kick and kill you. It’s a femme fatale every guy want to make love and conquer.

One thing I surely enjoy about Jakarta is the festival. There are Java Jazz Festival, JakJazz Festival, the new Screamfest, Jakarta Biennale, Art Summit and finally, Jiffest. Jiffest stands for Jakarta International Film Festival and like last year, this time is a lot of fun.

Between taking care of my recovering Aunt and finishing uni’s administration, I managed to slip in 5 amazing movies. I won’t write the review here since I believe I’m not a good reviewer and there are people out there who are paid to do just that. But in case you are wondering, below are those 5 movies with my comment and rating.

*Across the Universe

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy and dazzling cameo appearances
Rating: I am in love!

This is made for all Beatles fans out there. From the first scene where a solitary dreamer sings “Girl”, I knew I was in for a treat. I keep smiling and sometimes weeping right from the start. The setting is 1960’s with the hippies flower power and Vietnam War. At first we were introduced to few major character. There is Jude (you know from which song), a hopeful Liverpool lad who want to travel to find his Dad. There is Lucy, a WASP high school beauty who lost her beau to Vietnam War. Then there is Max, a Priceton rebel-without-a-cause whom later with Jude, ran away to New York City.

There they met a lot of interesting characters from the hot singer, Sadie to Dr. Flower Power (Bono in thick moustache and groovy attire! I came close to ask my friend to slap me hard). All of the characters are singing with their voices, worthy of starry credits. The juxtaposition of images, objects and details goes wonderfully with the songs which beautifully arranged and performed.Perfect. I was practically singing when Max sings “Hey Jude” for Jude. I fell in love with this one, if it is possible to fell in love with a movie and can’t help but tell the world about it. Click here for the full qualified review.

*4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
Starring: Annamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov
Rating: I’m sure won’t watch this again but WOW!
I’ve heard about this abortion movie from a friend who told me it was winning awards in every festival. So I watched it for a gripping 113 minutes. What strikes me as peculiar is how the scenes were taken. Odd angle, still scenes with minimal dialogue and voices. One can’t help but be absorbed into the life of Otilia and Gabita because it feels so real. Raw real. Otilia is helping her friend Gabita to get an abortion which was illegal in Romania back then. They rented a hotel room and hire a Dr. Bebe to get rid of the unwanted fetus. Even though its Gabita who will abort her baby and therefore in the pitiable position, all I feel for her character is rage. Rage for her weakness, her foolishness, which allows Dr. Bebe to gain benefit of their situation. It’s Otilia who must execute the dirty works.

This movie will definitely shocks you in the middle and in the end, where it was ended abruptly without a clear conclusion. My friend found the ending very annoying. But the way I see it, it’s the director’s way to let audience decide what should happen to the characters. Nevertheless, I left the theater feeling heavy. This is sure not an easy movie to digest.

*2 Days in Paris
Starring: Julie Delphy, Adam Goldberg
Rating: My hands were busy writing down the witty dialogues
After Romanian abortion movie, I was comforted to find that 2 Days in Paris coming next. Wrong. It is an easy movie but it still keep your brain buzzing. The story essentially about an American-French couple, Jack and Marion. From their blitzing frenzy trip in Venice to go back to New York, they decided to spend 2 days in Paris as a stop over. Jack is a paranoid interior designer whose allergic to all kind of things (from terrorism to leaking pipe) while Marion is a neurotic photographer whose a natural born flirt. I forgot my popcorn when I watched the scene where Jack mislead a bunch of his Da-Vinci-Code-cracker-Bush-voter countrymen and when he admitted it to Marion, she only compliment and kiss him. Big Haha #1.

From that scene, Jack and Marion ‘s story just getting funnier. Her obnoxious French speaking parents add to the joyful characters. Her papa, quizzed Jack over a rabbit stew of French writers (Big Haha #2) while her drama queen mama compliment his ‘nice willy’ when “accidentally” see Jack’s nude picture with baloon (Big Haha #3). Meet the Parents, indeed. For the next 2 days, Jack would witness Marion getting flirty and flirtied by her ex-es. France and America in comic collision and witty dialogues. I feel like re-watching “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset” for the hundredth times. Bravo, Madame Delphy!

*The Fall
Starring: Lee Pace, Cantica Untaru
Rating: Keep ‘wow-ing’ me until the end
The story is about Roy Walker, a stuntman who had an accident and have to stay in hospital. There she met a little girl, Alexandria, whom he lured by stories so she would steal morphines for him. The amazing thing about this movie is where it was shot or to be exact, in how many places it was shot (26!). The scenes sweep audiences from Fiji to Italy, showed Swirling Dance in Turkey to Kecak Dance in Bali. It took my breath away. Every mouths in that theater were gaping in wonder. For the full listing of where they shot the movie, click here. Alexandria, naturally performed by Cantica Untaru, stole the movie and my heart away with her smile and act. Hell, what act? She doesn’t act. Dakota, be warn.

*Vitus
Starring: Bruno Ganz, Theo Gheorghiu, Julika Jenkins
Rating: Inspiring me to get a piano lesson. Again.
The story is about Vitus, a genius little boy and his family. There is his inventor papa, obsessed loving mama and witty eccentric grossvater. It shows Vitus pyschological development from a little boy to a rebellious teenager who fell in love with seven years older ex-Vitus babysitter. He is witty and delivers cheeky remarks such as asking his teacher “if a teacher is smarter than the student, then why James Watt’s teacher didn’t invent the machine?” .Later when circumstances makes him fed up being genius, he was forced him to do a drastic measure like flew down from his balcony and ended up being average kid with IQ 120. After being a moustached evil dictator, Bruno Ganz delivers another superb performance in Vitus’s airplane-simulation-addicted grossvater who teach him to find his own way in life and who he wants to become. I really enjoyed this one. Perfect with pop corn and Diet Coke.

So, ladies and gentlemen, that’s a wrapped version of my Jiffest 2007. Now I am back in Bali, still dreaming of those movies and mourning each passing day of the sad cinematic tragedy shown in local theaters. Perhaps I should invent Bali’s own Jiffest? Like perhaps Biffest? Hmm…

I miss Jakarta. Now.

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Understanding Indonesian Horror Movies

Movies in certain Tangerang theater as per October 26, 2007:
-Get Married (Indonesian movie about a girl obsessed of getting married)
-Bobby (as in movie by Emilio Estevez about the murder of Robert Kennedy)
-Flawless (Demi Moore movie)
-Pocong 3 (tied with white cloth living corpse said to avenge sinners and whomever got a piece of its cloth would be rich and powerful. Duh!)
-Kuntilanak 2 (similar with Pontianak in Malaysian urban legend, Kuntilanak was a messy black hair cut, white cloth, could fly and pop in everywhere to avenge the world of her personal injustice of aborted baby and monstrous boyfriend who forced her and made her died)
-Legenda Sundel Bolong (I think Sundel Bolong is Kuntilanak’s sister or at least, cousin since they share similar fate)
-Suster N (post-colonial urban legend in Jakarta who believed that once there was a Dutch nurse ghost who cannot walk since her legs were broken and so she has to drag her feet with her hands and haunted hospital ward or ngesot)

The last four are horror movies. The last four always sold-out and full with screaming teenager and adult alike. The last four only some of the prove needed that Indonesian movie industry has, indeed, rising in numbers if not in quality. I don’t know if I should be overjoyed or scared with the attack of those supernatural evil spirit into my life. As a barely Indonesian nationalist who celebrates nationalism only in Independence Day, I am swollen with pride when I see Indonesian movies beat the numbers of Hollywood blockbuster in theater or made it into Malaysian or Singaporean theater. It is, afterall, demonstrate the neighbor-stealing-folk music country that Indonesia doesn’t only know the way to breed terrorist and corrupting fund aid, but also skillfull in making movies.

But I do feel scared. Not just by the daily nightmare of Kuntilanak visit into my boudoir, but what does it saying about us as Indonesian when most of the movies produced are horror movies? I am never a big fan of horror movie since I never understand what is the joy of watching a movie that frighten and haunted you when you are alone at home. Is it not enough that our life is already full of nightmare? Buddhist monks getting killed by Burmese military force, glaciers and ices in Alaska melting down and polar beer died of too much swimming. Call me a hen (I am female) but I don’t care. I am peace loving and I love having my dream free from hopping white pocong or sundel bolong with hollow tummy.

However I found this recent Asian movie industry frenzy of making more and more horror movies quite interesting. South East Asian countries share similar legend and folk stories and so it is not surprising if we love each other evil spirits (eww). What is astonishing is for countries with superstitious people who actually believe in those evil spirits is the paradoxical reality of how they also crave for more. I use ‘they’ because I definitely not a horror fan so I am out of the object study here. Isn’t that weird? So they are scared but they also love to be scared.

Case study #1: 23 years old female, Jabontor (Jawa-Ambon-Toraja) heritage, close friend
-Never miss a single horror movie in theater but the first to ask her friends to sleep over when her flat is empty and she would be ‘flat alone’

Case study #2: 21 years old male, Chinese-Balinese heritage, brother
-Always divert his gaze from the rear mirror and speed up until 120 km/hr when driving alone at night

And they still watching horror movies. Humph.

When I tracked down the rising of Asian horror movie industry, I traced my memory back when I was a small kid of 7 or 8 years old and watching movies without parental guide each afternoon after my siesta. TV station shows Hong Kong movies with hopping vampires dressed in classic court attire who would freeze when the priest put a caligraphed post-it on their foreheads. I squealed in delight. It was not as frightening as the Grande Dame of Kuntilanak and Nyi Roro Kidul role, Susanna.

Asian need its own horror movies that is not the Count Dracula, Frankenstein, Freddy Kruger or psycho murderer in shower. It doesn’t scare us (from a hen who hate horror movies, it is quite a strong statement) since we know Count Dracula wouldn’t survive in tropical climate, Frankenstein would never be in Bali since we burned the death in lavish ceremony, Freddy Krueger would not exist in city named Denpasar who doesn’t even know who he is when he pops up in our dream and that psycho would never get in to our bathroom since any respectable Indonesian always lock the door while bathing.

We have different memory, folk legend and story. Therefore we created our own creature and evil being based on those legend and culture. Below you will find Best Actor Nominee for “The Most Popular Creature in Horror Movies” presented by Julie Estelle and Susanna, the imitator of Real Thing. In random order, they are…
-Kuntilanak (Kuntilanak, Kuntilanak 2, Terowongan Casablanca)
-Anonymous black long haired woman in long dress and pale face (Ju-On, Ringu, The Eye, Shutter, The Wig, Bangku Kosong, Rumah Pondok Indah, Angker Batu and plenty more for this short blog)
-Pocong (Pocong 1, Pocong 2, Pocong 3 and hundreds of cameo appearances)
-Suster Ngesot (Suster Ngesot, Suster N, Panggil Nama Saya Tiga Kali)

The winner goes to…
KUNTILANAK!

The lady rose up slowly and nod her head in stacatto motion. She dragged her white silk gown gracefully and suddenly…SHE FLIES TO THE STAGE. Oh my, that is one way to enter. After shaking hands with Julie and Susanna who still trembling with either fear or admiration of meeting their source of inspiration, Kuntilanak is giving a speech. Below is the transcript (in Mother Language):

“Sodara-sodara sekalian, saya ingin mengucapkan banyak terima kasih atas penghargaan ini. Ternyata apa yang saya tidak dapatkan pada kehidupan singkat dan tragis dulu, saya dapatkan pada kehidupan ini. Terima kasih saya ucapkan kepada para produser, sutradara dan artis yang mengorbitkan dan menceritakan kisah saya dalam berbagai versi. Lepas dari benar atau tidaknya serta baik buruknya akting pemainnya, saya merasa bangga telah menjadi ikon perfilman Indonesia di samping Bang Benjamin atau Warkop. Sungguh suatu kebanggaan. Kemudian terima kasih sedalam-dalamnya kepada para fans Kunti yang setia menonton. Aneh memang, betapa kalian senang ditakut-takuti tapi tidak apa karena saya mendapat royalti. Last but not least, Kunti juga ingin berterima kasih dan menunjukkan penghargaan sedalam-dalamnya kepada sesama mahluk alam kubur yang masih suka bergentayangan. Penghargaan ini juga untuk kalian! Sundel Bolong, eat my dust! HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI…”

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Bali: On Movie

I spent four years in Jakarta. It was full of consumerism, visual stimulation, hedonistic attitude, selfish sleeping occasion and a whole lot of movies. A LOT. Jakarta is heaven for sinner and movie freaks. We can find illegal DVDs in almost every mall or street, plenty movie theaters with puffy seat and new release movies that sometime even beat Down Under and all the glittering festival each year (Festival Film Perancis, Jiffest, etc). A lot of things to be exited about.

I am one of those weird people in this universe who likes to keep list of movies I saw or books I read. To proved the A LOT part, I looked back on my list of year 2004, 2005 and 2006, golden era of unproductivity and the amount quite astonishing to me.
2004 : 158 movies
2005 : 164 movies
2006 : 162 movies
So if we do the math (Thank God for calculator!) by estimating that each movie is around 2 hours, I would have spent 316 hours (2004), 328 hours (2005) and 324 hours (2006) in front of the screen. I know what you would be thinking at this point: Get a life, movie freak! Or you just have this mental image of obese greasy hair person who always munching and never bathing. I would let your imagination run wild on that one.

I am sure there are a lot of movie freak like me out there although I haven’t met them yet. I guess it is partly true that life in the big screen is a lot more fascinating than our ordinary life. We have obligation, responsibility and bill to pay and so it thwart us from always looking like smoldering Marlene Dietrich each morning. In that screen, we could witness the extraordinary. Things that we would never be able to do in this life (I would never get into blood splashing fight with sword in yellow tracksuit, for example), things we could not afford (Aston Martin, daily shaken not stirred martini, five stars hotel and OMEGA watch) and things out of this world (E.T…). It is beautiful to dream. It is so good that I dream of my life as a movie (definitely not reality show!), perhaps one of Audrey Hepburn-y movie. Gotta love the outfit.

But this year a lot of things happened. I live my life, for instance. The movie freak character must hibernating for a while. There was the final project, travel and life re-adjustment. Now I am quite adjusted and the movie freak-in-me started to wake up but mockingly there is no movie. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is no decent movie in this Island of God. We have many temples and beautiful white sand beaches, but when it comes to decent movie that doesn’t involve pop-up vernacular evil spirit with long black hair or puppy love ridden teenage drama king and queen, Bali is suck.

My choice here would be:
a. buying or renting illegal DVDs with minimum choices. No latest French release or festival movies,which is exactly what I am after
b. re-watch everything I had
c. private screening (read: either for close community or flamboyant big screen movie night in Kudeta)
d. go to movie theater with ONLY two screens which distressingly devoted to show gory/horror/ teenage/Milla Jovovich/six months late kind of movies. Of course this is the last option.

May the Saint of All Screen help me here!

But to my supreme joy, I read an article in a forgotten magazine about the upcoming European Film Festival this November. Naturally it would be bigger in Jakarta but at least they would show some movies in Bali (or so the article said). So I would be looking forward to November for that special reason. Check this site for detail. So for any people who residing in Bali and read this, I hope to see you in Alliance France on November!

More about → Bali: On Movie