The first feature film I was involved with, Queen Bee, has been released for public starting today. As one of the crews, I’ve been given the privilege to watch the gala premiere on Tuesday night and bring a friend. I decided to “bring” Aqi to come with me, I am sure he’d love cocktail parties and will meet his friends. Too bad he was late! So we didn’t take any picture, unfortunately. Thank God I met Diana and Dipy way long before he came. He arrived on around 9 pm, and the movie was suppose to start at 9.10!

G2000 dress, mum’s brown belt, Tonik vinyls bag, Kulkith shoes – with Diana!

So, how was the movie?

Let’s make the synopsis short: Queen is a 17-years-old girl, stylish, uses BB, rich, wants to hang out with her friends but rarely get his parent’s trust. Different things: Daddy runs for president and Mum died when she was still a little girl. Now get the picture?

This is not a cheap movie you often hate in the cinemas. I’d categorize Queen Bee to a ‘classy’ teen movie, perhaps like Eiffel I’m In Love (but way much better than this one :D). I might say that this is a great start for Fajar Nugros as a director, since this is his first full-length feature movie. Backed up with great producers including Salman Aristo (yes, the well-known scriptwriter who wrote Ayat-ayat Cinta, Laskar Pelangi, and all) and Bernhard Subiakto (owner of Octovate Group, his previous movie was Lost in Love), Fajar didn’t disappoint me at all. The script was well written, maybe it’s because the writer is still incredibly young, Ginatri S Noer (yes, almost as well-known as Salman Aristo). The marketing and promotion for this movie is in a massive scale. The soundtrack is just great (come on, RAN, 21st Night… so teenage-ish right?).

Queen Bee desperately wants to be an icon of teenage girls, like Gossip Girls, it simply aims to be the “younger” version of Sex and the City. The main character, Queen (Tika Putri), has got everything she wants/needs (except freedom and a perfect ‘family’, this one’s a bit cliche though). Rich daddy (Mathias Muchus), pretty face, a gank (that is not afraid of seniors), a Macbook, a Blackberry (the bling-bling one on day 1, the orange one on day 2), an iPod, a new Mazda car, 2 identical digital cameras, beautiful black hair, a lot of clothes, talent to design clothes, one handsome guard (Oka Antara!), one beautiful guard (Dinar!), attention from the public, and a handsome, rich boyfriend (Reza Rahardian. You have to see his BMW motorcycle). What else would you want to have?

The movie was okay. Most of the people in the studio gave applause as soon as the end credits appeared (I followed them, Aqi didn’t). But, the movie didn’t “flow”. Rough cuts were almost everywhere, from this scene jumped to another one without letting the scene finished. I was annoyed by that, but generally, the film is good. I could understand the message of this movie, and it was not ‘uh another teen movie’. Very refreshing in between these sex horror comedy movies. I was also annoyed with Queen’s gank’s overdressed style to school.  I have warned Fajar though. No need to be ‘that’ stylish to go to school like in sinetrons. Plain like AADC girls is stylish enough! The most stylish girls in school are the ones who look effortlessly stylish and pretty! Get rid of the jeans jacket, those scarfs, the sunglasses…

Tika Putri’s acting was good for a beginner, she made me feel what she felt in the emotional scenes. But, she still couldn’t transform herself into a 17-years-old girl though she’s just a year older than me, still not that carefree and playful like the normal SMA girl. Oka Antara also played well, but I think he was too thin (according to the press kit, he had to lose 7 kilos of his weight! Too bad)! He should have added fuller muscles :-) I enjoyed Dinar’s appearance as one of Queen’s guards. No need to tell you about Mathias Muchus and Jajang C Noer’s acting, right? The winner, for me, was Reza Rahardian. I really love the way he transformed himself from a handsome, kind, gentleman, to a… (uhm, spoiler alert, watch it yourself. But watch his acting during the ending scenes, it’s just great. I LOVE IT!) I also hate and love Sarah Sechan’s appearance. I lmao when Aqi said “SIKATTT!” while she was going to drink alcohol… Hahaha. You will notice some cameo if you work with the team. You will see Fajar, you will see Bie, you will see Biru (Ginatri & Salman’s daughter) in certain scenes. :D And if you watch the film real closely, you will notice a few ‘bloopers’ (uhm what do you call it?). Aqi noticed each of them! Could you tell me?

It’s way much better than Eiffel I’m In Love, 30 Hari Mencari Cinta, and Catatan Akhir Sekolah for sure. Too bad, it still cannot reach AADC and Mengejar Matahari (according to my taste and feeling). Technically it’s great, but emotionally, I still felt like something was missing (but I dunno what). I think the film-makers should get rid of Queen Bee’s “message” because it was too long, boring, and (sorry) useless. I didn’t get it. Who was she talking to? Us?

Congratulations for all of the crews and casts, especially Fajar Nugros, Ginatri S Noer, Bernhard Subiakto, Rendy Prasetio, Salman Aristo.

Anyways… one big question for the team (if you are reading this). Where was the soon-to-be vice president? Isn’t he supposed to be there as well for the campaigns, the meetings and all? If he was there, why didn’t he ever be mentioned (besides in one of the TV news)? :D

Go, sting the cinema, bees… Watch it will you can. Worth to watch. Perhaps 3 stars out of 5. What do you think?

My personal life, well… Been busy with a lot of stuff, especially preparing for the first ever Indonesian Youth Conference. Are you willing to support?

                          

Laskar Pelangi, diangkat dari novel best-seller karya Andrea Hirata, akhirnya dirilis pada tanggal 25 September 2008. Film ini memiliki pesona yang sama seperti film-film Miles Films sebelumnya, Petualangan Sherina dan Ada Apa dengan Cinta?. Hal ini dapat dibuktikan dengan jumlah penonton yang membludak seperti yang terjadi pada rilis kedua film tersebut. Saya sampai tidak berhasil nonton di hari pertama karena kehabisan tiket, dan akhirnya menonton di hari kedua.

Riri Riza, yang duduk di bangku sutradara, berhasil merangkum satu buku ke dalam bentuk film. Saya rasa, pengemar novel Laskar Pelangi tidak akan kecewa ketika menonton filmnya. Sebab, Riri mencantumkan seluruh bagian penting (dan detil) dari novel. Dari pertemuan Lintang dengan buaya, pertemuan-pertemuan Ikal dengan (tangan) A Ling. Keindahan Belitong pun disuguhkan dengan sinematografi yang baik. Belum lagi screenplay by Salman Aristo yang sanggup membuat kita tersenyum, tertawa, dan menangis bersama sepuluh anggota Laskar Pelangi.

Untuk masalah akting, tentu saja kita tidak akan meragukan kualitas aktor dan aktris kawakan yang mendukung film ini. Cut Mini dan Ikranegara bermain dengan luar biasa. Kita sudah mengenal akting Cut Mini lewat film-filmnya terdahulu. Saya belum pernah menonton film Ikranegara, tetapi pernah melihat penampilannya membacakan puisi, yang memang luar biasa. Begitu pula dengan pemain-pemain lainnya yang juga sudah senior seperti Rieke Diah Pitaloka, Mathias Muchus, Jajang C. Noer, Tora Sudiro, Lukman Sardi, Ario Bayu, Slamet Rahardjo, Rifnu T. Wikana, Robby Tumewu dan Alex Komang. Akting newcomers asli Belitong pun patut diacungi jempol. Pemeran Ikal (Zulfanny), Lintang (Ferdian) dan Mahar (Verrys Yamarno) yang on spotlight berakting baik, dan membuktikan bahwa mereka pantas bermain dalam film ini.

Soundtrack film digarap dengan baik oleh musisi-musisi muda yang sedang naik daun. Dari Nidji (Laskar Pelangi), Sherina Munaf (Ku Bahagia), Gita Gutawa (Tak Perlu Keliling Dunia), Meng ‘Float’ (Waltz Musim Pelangi), Ipang (Sahabat Kecil), Garasi (Sahabat), Gugun and The Bluesbug (Mengejar Harapan), dan Netral (Lintang).

Namun, Laskar Pelangi pun tidak luput dari beberapa kekurangan. Saya sangat menyayangkan ketika menyadari bahwa hanya cerita Ikal, Lintang dan Mahar dari kesepuluh anggota Laskar Pelangi yang ditampilkan. Mungkin ini yang namanya fokus cerita, tetapi sebenarnya saya menunggu-nunggu cerita tentang Kucai, Sahara, Trapani, dan lainnya, meski sedikit. Apalagi Trapani, yang akhir kisahnya tragis, dan saya tunggu-tunggu untuk ditampilkan di film, sudah siap dengan airmata. Di akhir film, Ikal pun hanya bertemu dengan Lintang, tidak bertemu dengan sahabat-sahabatnya yang lain. Padahal, Laskar Pelangi bukanlah cerita tentang Ikal maupun Lintang, tetapi bagaimana semua teman Ikal mengubah hidupnya sampai-sampai Ia berhasil menerima beasiswa ke Sorbonne. Sangat disayangkan. Saya sedikit kecewa sebenarnya, hehehe.

Mengantri panjang di depan loket tiket? Believe me, worth it! Stop reading this, please go to the nearest cinema, people.

                          

is simply fuckeeennnn’ awesome! I’m loving Heath Ledger moooorrreee! The movie lasts about 2 and a half hours and I think it’s still not enough.

The story started as Joker (Heath Ledger) distracted Gotham’s stability. On that moment, Batman (Christian Bale) is being hated by the people in Gotham and Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) was being the District Attorney. Dent had to deal with mobs and allied with Batman and Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman). He was also dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gylenhall), which made the situation “warmer” between Batman and him.

The effects are, as usual, stunning–just like other superhero movies. The mood is really, really dark, just like Batman movies’ character when Michael Keaton took the role. The gadgets were beautiful as well, from Batmobile, Batpod, his “usual” Lamborghini, every single gadget in the movie is just great.

The dialogue and scenes, especially the ones with Joker in it, are simply beautiful. You must let your eyes “leave” the screen because the movie is just too good to be missed! I’m really happy to watch it on the premiere :)

Acting scores? Heath Ledger is the best in this movie. He played his role very well, far ahead beyond Jack Nicholson’s acting back then. He definitely made people think that Joker is a psycho (and cool at the same time) supervillain, who kills people and does bad things only because he wants to. He is insane, freak, crazy, mad, but he’s greeeat! His voice makes it even better. The dialogues between him and his soon-to-be victims, the way he did (awful) things from mass-murdering, video-capturing until blowing a hospital down.. Geez!

Christian Bale did well too, but he was not as fantastic as Ledger. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Maggie Gylenhall are good actors, though they didn’t steal my attention. Aaron Eckhart from No Reservations was also stunning. Ah yep, forgot to tell you, not only Joker, but Two-Face–the other supervillain in the movie–is also sweeeettt!

The ending was like, “uhmmmm…”, but I’ve gone through 2 or 3 climaxes watching this movie. Great movie, much much much beyond my euphoria after I watched Transformers. Well done, Christopher Nolan!

                          

I just watched Sweeney Todd. Tim Burton – Johnny Depp, Oscar nominee, musical, thriller. Enough reason. I bought the DVD. It’s such a great movie. Well, great dengan “rasa” Tim Burton, seperti greatnya animasi The Nightmare Before Christmas di tengah arus Disney’s Classics, greatnya Edward Scissorhands.

Benjamin Barker (Depp) memiliki hidup yang sempurna, meskipun sederhana. Ia menikah dengan wanita cantik bernama Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly), dan dikaruniai anak bernama Joanna (Jayne Wisener). Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), yang ingin menikahi Lucy, mengirim Benjamin ke penjara selama 15 tahun. Sekembalinya dari penjara, rumahnya di Fleet Street telah menjadi toko kue Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). Lovett menceritakan bahwa Lucy telah meracuni dirinya sendiri, sementara Joanna diadopsi oleh Turpin. Benjamin pun tak segan-segan merencanakan balas dendam kepada Judge Turpin yang telah mengambil istrinya. He changed his name to be, as you know, “Sweeney Todd”.

There will be blood everywhere, since Todd kills everyone who comes to his barbershop using his barber knives. The film is dark, very dark, and beautiful at the same time. Musikal, sehingga kita dapat mendengar Helena Bonham Carter dan (terutama sekali) Johnny Depp menyanyikan lagu-lagu indah, seperti “Not While I’m Around”, “By The Sea” dan “No Place Like London”.

Tidak hanya lagunya, gambar yang disuguhkan Burton pun sangat indah. Bagian Kota London ditampilkan secara surreal dan cenderung horor, but it’s wonderful, really. The most disturbing thing is, blood, blood, blood. It’s okay though. The film comes up with a predictable should-have-been-a-twist-ending. I’ve known the twist much sooner. 4 stars out of 5, I guess :)

                          

Saya sangat tertarik untuk menulis review film yang satu ini. Film garapan Mouly Surya ini menceritakan tentang Alisha (Ladya Cheryl), gadis kaya raya yang tidak bahagia karena selalu kesepian–orangtuanya sudah meninggal ketika Ia masih kanak-kanak. Suatu hari, Ia bertemu dengan Bari (Donny Alamsyah) dan (as we all have guessed) jatuh cinta padanya. Alisha pun penasaran (dan akhirnya menjadi obsessed) pada Bari, sampai-sampai Ia pindah ke rumah susun dan tinggal di sebelah kamar Bari, yang tinggal bersama Renta (Kinaryosih), kekasihnya.

Filmnya gloomy, tone yang dipersembahkan oleh Eros Eflin & Vida Sylfia pun gelap, seperti Cerita Jakarta di film Chants of Lotus. Bahkan, lebih gelap dan monoton lagi, sesuai dengan mood yang ingin diciptakan oleh Mouly. Ladya berakting dengan sangat baik, Ia memerankan perempuan yang obsesif dan posesif kepada satu-satunya laki-laki yang pernah Ia cintai, dan lama-kelamaan justru terlihat seperti psikopat. Padahal, Ia hanya ingin membuat Bari bahagia–dengan cara yang salah. Dialog-dialognya hampir brilian. Bagaimana tidak? Skenario Fiksi ditulis oleh, the one and only, Joko Anwar. Fiksi sejenis dengan Kala, meskipun dalam penggarapan masih sangat jauh dengan pendahulunya.

I’m interested with this movie karena melihat cap Official Selection Pusan International Film Festival di posternya. Good movie, tapi surreal. Nggak heran bioskopnya sepi. Orang Indonesia kan jarang mau nonton beginian, kayak Kala aja, hihi. Banyak scene yang bikin berdebar dan membuat kita inginnya membunuh Alisha. Well, it means, Ladya selalu sukses membawakan karakter apapun yang disodorkan padanya. Alia Ada Apa dengan Cinta, Neyna Biarkan Bintang Menari, dan Alisha Fiksi sama-sama pendiam, kurang ekspresif, dan pemimpi. Tapi, Ladya bisa membawakannya dengan berbeda, memberi mood dan kesan berbeda pula. Donny Alamsyah seperti biasa bermain dengan ekspresif, sementara Kinaryosih did well too.

I just don’t like this kind of movie, but it is a good one. Different with other summer movies, hahaha.

                          

I couldn’t find the DVD of this movie, so I googled and found an exciting website, Watch Movies. Just like Crunchy Roll, we can fully watch movies online, including newly released movies, such as Iron Man, What Happens in Vegas, etc.

Love Me If You Dare plots Julien’s (Guillaume Canet) childhood, when he met a bullied schoolmate named Sophie (Marion Cotillard). They started a game of dares, using a candy tin from Julien’s mom. After his mother’s death, Sophie lives together with him and his daddy, she even slept in the same bed with Julien–for 10 years.

They made fun of each other and kept continuing the game until they are going to finish highschool. They fell in love, but Sophie got confused because Julien kept assuming that it was only a dare from Sophie. Many things came between them: Julien’s dad, exams, other things, other people, and even themselves.

This movie is lovely, the romantic-comedy I like–which has the same “type-of-movie” with Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. The dialogue and scenes are just romantic, I cried at some parts of the movie. Well, sometimes tears of joy, sometimes the real ones. Julien and Sophie went crazy for each other, with an insane way to express it.

Yann Samuell’s way of storytelling is pretty impressive. The colours of the movie makes it better. On their childhood, the colours were very bright and exciting, and it fades as they grew older and older, while the plot became sadder and sadder. As the story goes, the dares became more violent, more dangerous, yet mesmerizing at the same time. Ah, too many things came along the way.

The unexpected ending was also one of the things that makes this movie loved (and hated). I don’t really like the ending, which went just like Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind: tragic and romantic at the same time. You can have many interpretations in watching the ending. Many critics came to the movie, because of mischievous Julien and Sophie’s madness. I still love the movie though it surely hasn’t passed my love for Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind.

A refreshing movie if you’d like to see romantic movies, other than romantic comedies or even the too-much-drama ones.

Game?

                          

Hell! I watched another movie today, after twice of Iron Man in a week! The short review, here goes:

1. Told ya, Emile Hirsch’s such a hottie too. I wanna see him in Into The Wild.
2. Christina Ricci is very cute in this movie, she looks different.
3. Too much fantasy and colours; which is cute, but sometimes annoying.
4. I’m a fan of Disney-kind-of-endings, so I’m a bit disappointed when Rex did not.. (watch yourself)
5. Incomparable with “The Matrix” Trilogy, I had thought of something “bigger” and “wow-er”.
6. We were taken to a Fantasyland, I could not understand :(
7. Good movie, but since I didn’t watch Speed Racer animation, I did not fully enjoy it.

                          

1. One of my favourite movie.
2. Jim Sturgess is too hot to resist :p, so is Evan Rachel Wood.
3. Great visualizations on the songs.
4. The remake of the songs are even better.
5. I skipped the “Mr. Kite” scene because it’s too freaky.
6. Bono’s performance = (Y) until they entered the bus. The bus scene makes me dizzy.
7. Cliche love story.
8. Love the colours and blockings in the bowling alley.
9. Liverpool scenery on the “Hold Me Tight” scene is romantic
10. Too bad they didn’t sing “I Will”.
11. I think it’s better if Jude and Lucy kiss at the end of the movie :(
12. Very artsy, and cute.

                          

I’ll start a new thing: writing reviews in short sentences :D Just to have fun with shorter things (regarding my body is really short too hahaha).

We’ll have Juno to be the first trial!

                          

I’d like to review a book. But in Indonesian :D I was reading on Sitta Karina’s mailing-list, the members wrote her reviews so I’d like to do so. Sitta Karina is a famous teen literature author, she gave blurbs about my book (you know :P) on 2005 and we still keep in touch until right now.

She asked me to give some comments for her newest book, Satu Hari Berani. You can read my name on the paperback, hehe.

I had just finished her (another) newest book, Seluas Langit Biru, which is published by my former publisher, Terrant Books. Here goes..

Seluas Langit Biru (SLB) menceritakan tentang Bianca Hanafiah, yang dijodohkan oleh Nenek dengan Sultan Syahrizki, seorang pengusaha muda. Hal ini dilakukan untuk mempermudah proses merger MataCakra pimpinan Sultan dengan Hanafiah Group. Terlebih lagi, Sultan adalah laki-laki yang tampan dan bermasa depan cerah, yang sayangnya terlalu serius dan kaku untuk bisa membuat Bianca jatuh cinta. Meski tomboy, Bianca ingin sekali memiliki kisah cinta yang indah, bukan perkawinan karena perjodohan semata.

Seperti cerita-cerita lain yang Sitta tulis, SLB pun diceritakan dari dua sudut pandang, di mana selalu ada sisi baik dan buruk dari segala hal. Hal ini adalah ciri khas Sitta, selain memiliki tokoh-tokoh dari berbagai macam karakter, kultur, strata sosial dan status ekonomi. Mengingat SLB adalah salah satu dari rangkaian saga Keluarga Hanafiah, Sitta tetap menonjolkan fakta bahwa di balik kehidupan sosialita yang serba mewah dan glamor, selalu ada maslaah, kepalsuan, intrik, dan tentunya: kesederhanaan. Di cerita-cerita sebelumnya, misalnya Lukisan Hujan, tentu saja ada Diaz dan Sisy yang sama-sama menikmati jadi “orang biasa saja”. Pesan dari Bintang mengangkat figur Niki, yang sebenarnya cukup kaya–mengingat kakaknya bersekolah di Australia dan Ia bisa kuliah di universitas borju, tapi diceritakan bahwa Niki adalah pribadi yang sangat, sangat sederhana dan begitu menghargai jerih payah seseorang untuk memperoleh kehidupan yang layak. SLB menggambarkan Bianca dan Aozora, dua sosok yang sama-sama tajir-setengah-mati, ternyata benci menjadi sosialita dan ingin memperoleh segala hal dengan keringat mereka sendiri, dengan susah payah.

Di novel ini juga, kita dapat melihat sisi protektif Reno lebih dalam, yang di cerita-cerita sebelumnya kurang diperlihatkan; Nenek Helena yang (diceritakan di sini) sedikit kecewa karena Inez justru memilih Niki (sementara di novel-novel sebelumnya, Nenek Helena diceritakan sebagai pribadi bijak dan ’sempurna’); dan banyak hal lain (yang kalau ditulis di sini justru seperti spoiler).

Selain itu, chemistry antara Bianca dan Sora dibangun dengan sangat baik sehingga hampir menyamai chemistry yang tercipta antara Diaz-Sisy. Cara yang ditempuh Sitta pun sama, menulis sejujur-jujurnya, bagaimana Bianca dan Sora melewati hari-hari mereka (bertengkar, bertengkar, bertengkar…) sampai akhirnya satu tidak lengkap tanpa ada yang lain.

Sayangnya, “durasi” cerita kurang panjang, yang membuahkan kekurangan lainnya. Seperti fakta bahwa banyak hal yang missed (tidak biasa-biasanya Sitta seperti ini), seperti alasan mengapa Bianca harus menikahi Sultan. Demi keluarga. Namun, tidak dijelaskan secara spesifik. Apakah Hanafiah Group diambang kehancuran sampai-sampai harus merger? Apakah Sultan tidak bisa diajak negosiasi dengan perusahaan sekaliber Hanafiah Group? Nenek kecewa karena Inez menikahi orang yang biasa saja. Tapi, pendapat ini tidak muncul dari mulut siapapun, melainkan buah pikiran Bianca saja. Sisi baik Sultan juga kurang digali, Ia berdiri di halaman-halaman buku sebagai figur workaholic, kaku dan menyebalkan. Penyelesaian dengan Sultan juga hanya begitu saja, padahal sifatnya krusial. Mungkin perpisahan juga menjadi pilihannya, sayangnya seharusnya Bianca dan Sultan sedikit-banyak berdiskusi tentang masalah ini dengan kepala dingin, tidak dengan Bianca langsung “pindah lagi” ke Sora.

Deadline, oh, deadline :(

But after all, it is a good book though, I enjoy reading it. It got a third-place in my heart after Lukisan Hujan and Pesan dari Bintang. Saya hanya menyayangkan cerita ini terlalu cepat, padahal sebenarnya banyak hal yang bisa digali lebih dalam, sehingga seharusnya bisa sesukses LH dan PDB. Still many thumbs up for mon ami, Sitta Karina Rachmidihardja. Semoga bayi lahir dengan selamat dan ibunya juga ya :)