Natrah

Owh gumbira! Akhirnya malam tadi ku berjaya nak tengok gak pementasan Natrah. I missed the first round. Tak ingat sebab apa, but yang aku ingat masa tu aku outstation, balik je da abih pementasan.

So kali ni, preview je aku tengok teruih. And my verdict?

Walaupun ada beberapa flaws secara teknikal sebab cuma preview. But ada beberapa scene yang aku rasa pas borak ngan kak Erma akan diubah sana sini kot. Kira final touch up pasnih.

But memang aku suka gila... sebab abih je, emosi marah melanda. Aku jadi marah sebab isu Natrah dipolitikkan individu tertentu tuk kepentingan peribadi sampai kecoh, marah sebab pihak Belanda begitu gampang perangai, marah sebab Aminah tak sanggup lepaskan Natrah tuk kepentingan peribadi walaupun pelbagai alasan, marah sebab Adeline tanak mengalah walaupun Natrah membuat pilihan, dan marah sebab rasakan Natrah, yang pas baca cita hidup dia, begitu lemah dan menyerah pada takdirnya.

Tak ada ke yang penah tertanya kenapa Natrah, atau Maria - tak bersungguh jikalau benar wujud kekeliruan dari soal agama? Apa usahanya?

I mean, she was obviously torn - but I saw her as a weak person who blamed others for her fate and did nothing to change it.

Betul atau salah pandangan peribadi aku, tu emosi dan persoalan, antara banyak lagi yang membanjiri pala aku nih.

Because it got me thinking - for me, Natrah was a success! Anything that makes you think - and not just to merely entertain, is a success for the storyteller. And Erma memang berjaya pada mata aku.

Tahniah pada cast, walaupun ada sorang dua yang sipi sipi ku rasa tidak add anything to the staging.

Jap.. nak snappy jap.

Hope you guys manage to catch Natrah kat Istana Budaya. Siapa yang tengok musim pertama, aku dengar banyak perubahan (dari kawan yang penah tengok). For me, tengok kali pertama aku suka gila. Korang tengok and come to your own conclusions. I'm sure everyone will have their own take of things.

Apapun, tahniah to kak Erma and the whole cast, especially to Umie Aida yang memang aku tak nampak atas pentas - aku cuma nampak Aminah.

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Magika

Went for the gala premiere of Magika tadik. Dah dua kali ku tonton, dari preview sebelom ni berbulan lalu.

Again, kalao nak mintak aku review, tak larat lor. Bukan aku entertainment website. I'm just a blog - a personal blog, which is just my personal opinion of things. Things that I choose to talk about.

But kalao nak mintak opinion aku, depending on what you're looking for. It's a good family popcorn movie. Nak kata rugi, takkan la kalao beli tiket. Would I buy a ticket to watch? Yes.

But maybe simply because aku memang suka tengok lakonan Ning sebagai Puteri Gunung Ledang, Ziana sebagai Nenek Kebaya, Nani dan Leya sebagai Bawang Putih dan Bawang Merah, Pak Nil sebagai Pak Pandir. Kira amusing la to have our own version of Alice In Wonderland with all our favourite artistes.

Star power memang kaw kaw. Ada Mawi, Diana Danielle, Maya Karin, M Nasir... aduh. Ramai la. Dah.. malas nak taip panjang. Baik korang layan pics at the premiere.

Kalao korang perasan aku perangai kemalasan menulis. Tapi ni sebab kesibukan aku so paham la ek. Pe pon, aku kejar rezek ni, blog peribadi ku menjadi tanggungjawab semakin berat nak maintain. Especially since aku lebih meriah ber-micro blogging via Twitter. So add aku sana lagik up to date.

But I am not getting rid of my blog, and I won't stop. But just that kekadang malas tulis panjang ke, ataupon lambat update, mintak paham-paham la ek. Heh...

Goodnight all... time for some shut eye now.

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Here comes the bride...

Got up late tadik. Bayangkan... nak keluar plan dalam kul 1pm. Kira I have time for a slow drive lah ke PJ. Merasalah bangun 1.50pm! Damn! By the time I was ready to roll pun da kol berapa.

Eh.. cup! Nak clear benda sikit. Arituh gi makan dengan someone. Biasanya nak gi makan nih, sebab kengkawan semua beragama Islam, memang biasakan makan tempat yang sesuai. Tapi biasalah.. belah malam nak cari makanan sedap... tomyam je la jawabnya. Kalao tak, kena mamak.

So ajak la orang tertentu tuh gi makan at this halal Chinese food place. Kalao korang nak try, it's in Brickfields. Seberang jalan dari balai polis je (sebelom KFC kalao heading towards KL). Nama tempat tuh Merdeka I think.

Here's what we had.
Ginger beef


Tofu with oyster sauce


Kangkung belacan


Fishball soup


Sweet and sour chicken


All in, it was about RM50 for two persons inclusive of drinks. Ok gak harga dia. Korang gi try. Seriously when it comes to halal Chinese food, this place has the most authentic taste I know in town.

Heh.. saja nak share that sebab asik tak sempat update bab tuh. Very short take je.

Sambung cita.. where was I.

Owh.. yeah. Nak gi PJ. For Audi and Nikki's wedding. Atas jemputan Audi (which I would have gone anyway - but due to him insisting.. katanya... heh!) I wouldn't miss their wedding for the world. I mean, Audi is a friend, and a damn straight up no nonsense (ok forget I said that.. banyak la nonsense dia) and Nikki is my baby sister.

Sapa baca blog aku dari berkurun lama dulu would know. I first made friends with Nikki bila dia jejak KL tuk shortlisted 100 plus hopefuls for Malaysian Idol. Pastu aku bersama ngan dia sampai la the whole thing was over, dan carikkan label yang leh jaga dia. And the rest is history.. panjang kalao nak cita.

But to shorten a story... yes I love her as my baby sister, and I think Audi is the best man for her. So when I arrived kat gereja St. Francis Xavier, the ceremony had started so I decided to stay at the back.

At the end of it, Jac and Vince gave a damn awesome performance. Or so Vanessa and I thought. Mengumpat la kita kan.. merasalah dalam gereja pon nak mengumpat. Heh!

Can I get an Amen?!


Maya and Steven


Jac had her Mia Farrow look going on!


Abang Bad and Diddy pon ada


Celeb ke? Ala ala la.. si Hakim dan Lin


Vince and Vanessa


Ramai sangat kengkawan datang, courtesy of the people Audi had worked with. Even Ning was there with Chris, tapi tak sempat snappy cause they had to rush off.

When it was over, malas linger about. So went and did some errands. Aduh.. pastu rush lak ke Kota Damansara for Ad Samad and Dang Suria's pernikahan and sanding. Nanti je aku post those pics up.

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My girls

Yeay! I'm into the fourth season of Weeds already. Something tells me I am actually going to finish my catch up before work sets in.

Got to get some work sorted out tomorrow as well as some errands. Gawd I hate Mondays!

Tadik accompanied Faz to Zubir's birthday do. Thank you Zubir for the hospitality. Yeay... Maya and Liyana there too. Ainul too. Ok fine... so there were a few more people I know there, but I mention the ones I truly love. Heh...

Owh and bung Ramli pun ada. Bang... thanks again for the career advice. It's one of those moments aku bebetul appreciate. People like you and arwah Loloq and so many people I look up to in this business that spend those few moments to share your experiences with me, gives me strength to continue with my passion.

Thanks again ya bapak toyol.

My weakness now I have to address? How to learn to be a businessman. All my life people take me for granted. I am passionate about this business... and I often do things for free sebab tolong orang sana sini. No more. Helping out is fine... but I need to learn how to say no and learn to make money.

Nama je aku ni Cina, tapi I definitely don't fall into the stereotype. Tak pandai langsung bab bisnes. Alrighty then... from now on... I hope that I will be able to learn to be more corporate, more businesslike and yet still not compromise who I am - nor my passion for everything showbiz.

Mintak mintak la aku mampu...

Anyway, a few people asked me who I meant in my last entry. Malas la nak cita panjang. All I can say is, dunia hiburan nih attracts a lot of weirdos who think just cause they love a movie, or a song, that they deserve a way in to be part of this business, and be friends with practitioners. Some would mention gila glamer... what can I say. Da memang ada yang beriya sangat kawan ngan orang dalam industri ni... biar artis ke wartawan ke sapa saja la yang kena mengena ngan industri ni.

My mistake is not seeing them for who they are earlier sebab aku suka sangka baik orang. When they end up shitheads, it's a little too late. Da aku pun tak hingin orang tuh dalam hidup aku, masih lagik nak sibuk nak contact my friends konon leh make another trip into this life.

Whatever la... pathetic, I suppose some people would do almost anything just cause nak feel glam kot. That's something I'm unfamiliar with. Aku dari zaman aku belajar ke apa... I don't really get starstruck. I admire people for their gifts and talents, but takde la nak tergedik nak wat baik in hopes of being friends. Sheesh... that is just sad.

Oh well... I guess it takes all kinds to make up the world.

I have no time to be bitter. These type of leeches who pass for people are not worth my time. Baik aku focus my energy on what is necessary and leave karma to deal with all this bullshit.

Eh... da la. Nak share pics of my favourite girls. Faz, Maya and Liyana. Love you ladies!

Rasanya bung Ramli marah tak kalao off key nyanyi Happy Birthday


The Pisau Cukur duo - Faz and Maya getting getting CW


Yusry and Edry skali ngan Maya dan Faz having a chin wag


Bung Ramli.... golak bosa je dia ni. Heh...


Liyana senyum sebab teringat someone ke... heh....


Don't worry.. won't tell them about Australia.. oops!


Sistahs!


Liyana and Ainul - BFF

Ok... now back to Weeds. Am tired out.. especially after stuffing up kat Rasta. Till 'morrow guys...


PS. Sila sedekahkan Al Fatihah for the late Tarudin Ismail, who passed on due to complications after a by-pass this morning. But Siti, Saida, Saerah... and members of the family, my condolences to all of you. May God bless the dearly departed... and all of you for strength to get through these difficult moments. Guys.. please say a prayer ok.

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Need a break

Serious lack of sleep taking over here. Tadi pun sempat nap jap while tunggu Faz call for time and location nak jumpa tuk temankan dia ke wrap party for Pisau Cukur which just finished shooting.

Masa napping late afternoon tadi pas settle semua kerja (yeay!!! my first script in Malay done!), Faz kaco my beauty sleep ajak ikut sekali temankan dia. Memula malas, tapi dia kata jom la je. So ok la... why not.

Picked her up and we went to Red Communications and Red Films nya office at about 8.30pm di Kelana Jaya.



First person bumped into was Maya, Had a chat, borak about a lot of stuff, none of which I'll repeat here. Being tired, cam takde mood makan, so Faz je layan. Aku steal some bites here and there je lor.

Next was Sharifah Sofea, who arrived with some extremely delicious home made vanilla and chocolate ice cream! Sedap gila! Better than most of the crap I tasted passing for ice cream.

Tengah borak and melayan everything going on (sebab not part of the cast ke production cam left out sikit kemeriahan), Umie lak tegur. Another round of gossip. Much festivities later, saja started cam whoring minus the rest of the cast yang tak muncul which included Aaron Aziz, Datuk Rahim Razali, Liyana Jasmay, Khatijah Tan and Nas-T as well as those who made cameo appearances like Nabil, Afdlin Shauki, Nabila Huda and Yasmin Yusuff.

Tak dapat la tengok Liyana wat 'showtime' dia yang lawak. Adalah... don't ask. Faz, Maya, Umie and I gelak tengok a recording of it on Faz punya phone jerk.

From left : (like you don't recognise them, and if you didn't you wouldn't care kan?).. the beauties of Pisau Cukur in Maya Karin, Sharifah Sofea, Nur Fazura Shariffudin and Umie Aida


Maya, Umie and Faz - this one with flash. Pucat muka semua terus!


Ni baru natural lighting sikit


Christmas came early as Faz handed out presents to the production crew yang smalam layan beli ngan dia kat Pavilion, tanda penghargaan kepada mereka and after poco-poco, and an adult version of musical chairs, we were on the way to Pelita for a short lepak session.

Aduh.. ngantuk.

Yeay yeay... esok da kat Johor. Tunggu!!!! Will post more of what's going on there besok!

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Despite it all...

Yes, like the title of this entry goes. Walaupon mata masih merah (tapi keadaan aku dari segi lain dah tip top), I managed to make it for the Anugerah Skrin 2008.

Feeling a lot better by noon tadik, I pulled together something (tatau nak pakai apa before settling for my vintage pinstripe DKNY jacket yang tak penah pakai, couple with that ripped monochrome tee and a pair of bootcuts - yes, me celebrating the death of skinnys).

Was at PWTC by 8pm, waiting for Faz and Jue to show up. Met them, along with Maya and Lin shortly in the carpark and naik sekali.

Can I just say this? Someone better put a disclaimer on escalators that long dresses are potential death traps! Or at least key to embarrassing situations sebab the length of those outfits can just cause it to sangkut and setting up for one of those home video show fodder.

Wanita-wanita Pisau Cukur - Faz and Maya (Lin tengok apa tuh?)


Walaupun dapat invitation as guest, not covering the event as media, aku lebih suka dok ngan kengkawan wartawan sebab leh sesama carot.

Have to say though, this year, the stage looked better, despite being a relatively simple set-up.

Wow! Lotsa lights!


While the show was quite ok, there were some points that spoilt the night.

For one the fashion. Some people just got it so wrong, from guests, to presenters, to performers, to winners. I won't mention the usual fashion faux pas cause you guys got to see it all on TV. Will mention one though.

Kalao korang perasan Daphne Iking's dress tuh memang singkat, but lagik sakitkan mata was seluar our national asstronaut (oops.. sincere typo there) Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha yang was about four inches too short! How come no one told me the Michael Jacskon look was back in again. Seb baik dia tak pakai stoking putih jer... kalao tak I'd half expect him to start moonwalking.

Ok, so the dude has been in space and probably doesn't know it's so wrong to see someone with that look, but I believe he didn't leave us in the Eighties and just return kan? Maybe it was just a longing in another way to do moonwalking sebab dapat jadik space tourist je sebelom nih pon. AND get a Datuk for it (but then Shah Rukh Khan got one too... so go figure)

Anyway, ever since he became a tourist courtesy of Malaysian taxpayers, and is now charging thousands for 'motivational talks' (so that's the greater good that they were talking about... and how many million was spent?) he can bloody afford to buy a decent wardrobe dari ulang tayang the same damn suit every time he's in public. Honestly!

Pic diamik dari forum. If this belongs to you, please leave a comment and whom I should credit to. Don't you think Faz just looks cute here!


Sheesh... plus a lot of other ugly outfits malam tuh. Including some silver trash bags passing for dresses, cheap ass wraps that doubled for outfits and so on. The list is endless.

Performances were so-so, but I think the highlight (nak carot tak abih kot) was Faizal Tahir. Adibah Noor was her usual fantastic self, but I think her combination ngan Lah Ahmad tak menjadi. She was struggling to keep her voice in an effort to allow Lah to keep up, which I think was sad because both of them have beautiful voices but were just sadly mismatched. Let's see, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza was also yummy in her performance, though I think the costumes were a little too RTM.

The script was horrible, and I know a lot of people ad-libbed. Even Aznil (congrats bang on another win for your show) and Zulhuzaimy yang orang dok gelak sebab lawak meka sebenarnya main boh je skrip sendiri. Yeap.. it wasn't on the cards ok. But the result... some of the funnier moments as our artistes proved they can come up with better lines than some scriptwriters.

Winners? Mixed bag, so not going to comment, cause it was a little for everyone, which I guess was a good thing. Nak wish congrats to several friends like abang Mamat Khalid, kak Yasmin Ahmad, Gaya and her Tayangan Unggul outfit for their wins. To Osman Ali dan kengkawan lain yang nominated but didn't win, nevermind. Lain kali ek... you guys rocked by even getting the nominations and massively proud of you guys.

Tapi pening ramai tak muncul. Masa Nasha Aziz menang, tension kak Nasha takde, so called up the darling and wished her congratulations. Yeay! Aku first katanya. Nasha kata dia dapat invite only on Tuesday so tak sempat prepare celah kesibukan dia, so tak jadik datang, tapi aku leh dengar that she was watching the live show on TV.

Pas abih on the way out, bumped into wanita cantik sorang ni. Guess who? Kak.. sorry ler camera flash tak cukup terang. Heh.. ampun!

Vee you look flawless la!


Singgah jap Press Room nak wish congrats to friends for the wins. Kak Min jumped up immediately to hug me! Yes.. yes.. about time woman you won something! I am proud of you! Ko susah susah harumkan nama negara ngan karya ko, and still so many people find it difficult to accept your work closer to home even though you celebrated abroad. Go figure.

By the way, abang Mamat, carut pun aku sokong ko. Heh... aku pegang kata kata ko yang Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang ko wat watak non-Malay tak pelat and all sebab dengar cakap aku. Katanya.. walaupun... huahuahua... royalty mana???? Matilah aku!

Big winners!



And then it was on to the post party aka the makan time. Since got there before most of the crowd, sempat nak down a few bites before everyone poured in the dewan. By then da start cam whoring da.

Ni some pics yang sempat.

Grinning silly bila dengan Datuk Seri Farid Redzuan


By request pembaca blog - si Amethyst, here's Que


By another request (tak hengat sapa) ni Farid Kamil lak pas shave (insaf katanya... merasalah!)


Sarah babe.. you scare me! Hugs!


Zamarul, congrats! Lain kali jangan sebut pada DIA... lupa ek ngan NA kat belakang nama orang tuh. Heh... matilah!


Sorry kak Kelly tak dapat letak pics kita. Heh! Terlampau mesra katanya! Kang orang ingat aku nak bodek ko lak. Kang nanti separuh akhir nanti we taking taking lagik pics bersama yang lebih sopan ek!

Ni some other pics for fans of Fazura. Hope you guys like it!

Faz with kawan baik, Maya.


Faz ngan erm.. Liyana Jasmay? Was it? Tak cam lak.


Faz ngan kawan baik sorang agik si Diana Rafar.


Sekali ngan Remy Ishak and Osman Ali


With some other friends. Sorry tapi I only know Chery Samad, KB (kawan baik la tuh) si Faz.


We then decided to leave. Took us ten minutes or more. Langkah kuar je, Faz kena serbu photographers. So kena la photo session jap. Layan... majoriti kengkawan Press. So no hal. Besides, it was obvious Faz was a favourite malam tuh. And I have to say, I'm thankful she didn't overdo it with a simple Hatta Dolmat dress which was modest, and tak ikut ramai yang konsep tak cukup kain. By the way, Faz insisted on the design on her own ok!



Pas layan Press, layan lak peminat yang stop dia on the way to the carpark. Letih gak... heh. Tapi pompuan ni konsep Energizer Bunny so takpe.

Had a quick meeting with Faz kat Bangsar jap sebab ada benda nak discuss. Adalah. Upcoming project. Lain sikit dari the usual stuff. An hour plus, sent her back home and headed back Bangsar lepak bebudak 6ixth Sense jap.

I completed this entry at about 5am, pas abih layan pics yang leh publish. Tomorrow is sleep day, and pastuh ada some plans nak lepak. Yerlah.. memandangkan da elok demam nih. Yahoo!!!

Be posting more tomorrow...

Pic Faz, krew penerbitan and tenaga kerja TV3 (tu kak Kelly in brown headscarf and specs) dan kengkawan media and I (new haircut tak nampak sangat but sikit-sikit ler). Pic courtesy (aka dicuri) dari Sam Kassim, manager Noryn Aziz (matilah kan aku kredit penuh!)

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