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Reviews
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Great, love this kind of Bond
Quantum of Solace is the sequence of "Casino Royale", I didn't watch it, so I was a bit confuse with the storyline at the beginning, but after 20 minutes, just realize that this movie is so cool. You just have to concentrate hard enough to "get" the jumping time line and scenes.
Daniel Craig is used to be considered not qualified to act in a "James Bond" movie, but I think he did pretty solid. And people keep saying this "James Bond" movie doesn't fell "Bond" enough with no gadgets, no cheesy line. This movie actually don't have supermodel women that sleep with the womanizer Bond, very uncommon in a Bond movie. But I like it better this way, stop showing women as a Casanova "trophy" in movies, OK? It has a scene of a women killed in bed and been covered with oil all over her naked body, they had the exact same scene in another Bond movie "Golden eye" but not with oil but with gold. Because Quantum of Solace actually talk about a mysterious organization controlling the whole world, from oil to water, from CIA, FBI to European intelligence, from top 5 UN countries to 3rd nation countries.
very nice, I want more of this kind of Bond movie
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Not bad, but not so good either
I usually don't get Woody Allen movie. I think he is just a neurotic crazy director/writer, and I can picture him in real life is not much different from his character in "Annie Hall". I watch "Manhattan", "Hannah and her sister" a really long time ago, and if I didn't remember wrong, I was bored with the movie.
The beautiful scene in Spain just make this movie worth watching. Just like some Italian think of "Under the Tuscan Sun" is so not realistic and portray nowadays Italy like 20 years ago. But the beautiful scene of Tuscany, Italy still make me love that movie.
Anyway the Spanish artist keep yelling: "Speak English in this house" is not so realistic, yeah...cause most European use English in their home? And it very honestly portray the movie in the sense that yeah... This movie is from an American movie maker point of view making a film in an south European cities as a background
But I come to sense that indeed there is still a lot of Woody Allen fan out there, and indeed he has this sarcastic sense of humor toward life. The over stereotype just is so ridiculous, it's actually funny. Maybe that's Woody Allen dark humor?
And I was wondering why is Scarlett Johansson keep accepting the similar kind of character like in "Match Point", "Girl with a pearl earring", "The other Boleyn Girl" Ehm....I would like to see her in a more different character.
Over all, it's a fun movie to watch, not too boring, not too great
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
I am very disappointed
This movie wasted 2 hours of my time and just make me wanna scream: "LAME". Nicholas Stoller write the movie "Yes Man", but direct "this" maybe he should stick with writing.
I am so disappointed because I heard all the great review. I was expecting something like knocked up. They say this is from the maker of "Knocked up"? why can't I see the resemblance? but this just felt like a shallow, overdone-theme kind of movie for me. I am so disappointed. Actually it's not bad if you consider it as your-average-chick-movie, but that character of the "band guy" just get on my nerves
Maybe I was just not paying enough attention to the movie, but yeah they have some funny lines and scene, but i don't felt the originality. And the ending make the movie a little bit better. At least the ending is not some boring cliché one.
Yes Man (2008)
Fun and inspiring
As usual, movie with Jim Carrey promised you fun and laughter, and this one delivers too. The awesome concept of saying "YES" to "ANYTHING" in lives might seems a little bit extreme. But boy oh boy, the excitement and fun is also "extreme." For me, picking up a homeless person and give all your money to him is too dangerous and not recommended, but helping out at the shelter, joining a party costume that you think is cheesy, jogging and taking pics, taking up foreign language classes seems like tons of fun.
I laugh out loud and cries because I laugh too hard. And even laugh harder, when came the dialog "You know who another Carl we don't like, Marx" And the teenage girls sitting beside me ask innocently, who is Carl Marx, who? I just wanna scream out loud: "He is the father of communism, the one who inspired Hitler, girl read up your history books" But of course I didn't hahaha....because I'm too polite, and I'm afraid the girls will beat me up hahaha...
Anyway, this movie inspired me a lot, and I probably will say more "YES" in live for events with theme I'm not familiar with, with meeting and knowing people from different walk of lives, and trying out new exciting, not common things. YEAH, don't miss out on this one. It's much more fun than the "Truman Show" and "The man from the moon" And absolutely a pleasure to watch.
And don't leave the movie theater too soon, because they have a nice little scene after the ending credit
Revolutionary Road (2008)
This could be the sequence of Titanic?
Imagine if Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet character has survived "Titanic" and really made it alive to the newfoundland, America. Their loving passionate never ending love in their 20's might just end up like this in their 30's, a angry couple living in suburban city, can't fell satisfied with their "boring hopeless empty" life. Oh, and the car love scene, also have one in "Titanic" but with a whole different atmosphere which increase the irony.
Di Caprio play a husband who have a boring yet well paid salesman job which he hate. Winslet play a housewife and a failed actress wannabe. Is this a trend lately in Hollywood? Same as "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" that life in US is a "hopeless emptiness" and people should move to the romantic Europe, Paris in this case to finally can "live life". And if you are forced to stay their big house, a small wood to have an afternoon walk, then what you can do is do a little extra to "spice thing up".
And hey, the director, Sam Mendes, who's work "American Beauty" is totally amazing, is Kate Winslet husband. And Winslet won another best actress from Golden Globe from this movie. Oh boy, Di Caprio must hate her a lot now, cause he miss winning any award both in the "Titanic" and this. But the truth is Winslet is amazing, her acting, expression and the sadness, agony in her eye really make us understand her character perfectly. And Di Caprio look like a boy not yet grown up, his acting is dull sometimes, and great in some scene. He's not that consistent, and I can't figure out in the dinner with boss scene, is his expression is mocking someone in his head, or thinking things over? In the 1950 Connecticut, apparently speaking out the truth although the horrible truth might distress the society, chasing dreams, running away from responsibility is consider insane, ands should be put in the asylum, for God shake. The property agent family with their "crazy" Math PHD son, and their next door couple is a nice touch, without them the movie won't be complete.
Adapted from a book by Richard Yates, and this is a story that will keep you pondering after the end. And wondering what is right or wrong? Maybe nothing is right or wrong, it's just the choices we made in life.
Laskar Pelangi (2008)
A must see Indonesian movie
This is one of few Indonesian movie that makes me cry, laughs, and inspired at the same time. It show how beautiful Bangka island is. I watch it with my best friend who was originally from Bangka and she said: "This movie capture the beauty of Bangka so perfectly, she felt so touched and want to go home to Bangka." The simple stories of 10 little poor kids studying together in a run down Muslim school. The school has 1 principle, 2 teacher and 10 students.
The story show poverty from a different angle, it doesn't blame poverty instead it reveal the "secret" that the best thing in live can't be bought with money. The pure happiness from extremely poor little children that can barely afford shoes, make us wonder "Why can't we be more satisfied with our lives and start to give more to those who need it?" Friendship, puppy love, willingness to give, faith is the beauty of life, isn't it? The acting of Cut Mini Theo is natural and touching. But the best part of this movies is seeing those innocent children laughs and play in the wilderness, it just pure happiness and you can just felt that it's not fake, it's genuine, the chemistry between this young actors felt so real. Riri Riza is a very talented director and I hope he can bring more of his movies to an international movie platform, he has so much potential.
I'm looking forward for the see the sequel of Laskar Pelangi, because it's adapted from a wonderful book, which I believe has more to the story. This book has make a phenomenon in Indonesia, a big hit in the book community, and a even bigger hit in ALL community in Indonesia. There is even a new book called "Laskar Pelangi, the Phenomenon" because of this is the biggest thing going on right now. The female teacher that inspired the story got a reward because of her dedication to teach poor student from remote area. Indonesia government even reconsider the education policy and make effort to understand the education system in other more untouched village outside the more develop Java.
The author of the book, Andrea Hirata is a brilliant young man. As a back packer, his dream is to live in the highest village in the world, Gompa in the Himalayas. He receive scholarship to study master degree in French and UK and graduated cum laude from both University. This is his first book, and he instantly become the a widely author in Indonesia, from teenager to intellectual professional.
This is definitely a breakthrough in Indonesia movie and literature world
Tamu Agung (1955)
Look deeper and you'll be amazed
Beware of spoiler!!!
This is a funny movie about a medicine peddler who is falsely regarded as an exalted guest from the government. The main character who is portrait as a playboy and give inspiring speech, is a caricature of Bung Harto, the first president of Indonesia. It's amazing that the movie didn't get banned because of the political issues hidden behind it. It talk about mass politic at that time, feminism, and poor rural area Although it's black and white, but it's still very enjoyable with some musical number and a decent plot. If you can connect it with Indonesia political and economical situation in 1950s, it become much more interesting