Alam dan manusia

Ok... where do I start this entry. Mesti ada yang marah pas baca ni. So let me start with something silly. Tadik lepak kat Q Bistro ngan kengkawan. Yang kat Curve dan Tesco tuh.

Azab tak?

Matilah ko! Internet cafe skang pon da caj RM2 tuk sejam, ni baru nak pakai letrik je camtuh. Gila ke haper.

Anyway, tadi gi pelancaran Festival Filem Malaysia 23 (FFM).

Hah.. tu da nak undang pelbagai carotan. Sapa follow Twitter aku tau, aku memang tak stuju banyak benda pasal kali ni. Mana taknya. Organization hampeh - ramai sangat complain, termasuk anak-anak seni yang sendiri dipinggirkan dalam apa yang sepatutnya majlis meraikan hasil keja mereka.

Mualaf leh tak capai walao sat pencalonan pon, tapi filem cam Pulau Asmara? Matilah ko again gituh.

Ok.. tolak tepi soal tu. Sebenarnya tak kuasa nak gi, tapi pergi sebab ni jek.

Yer.. filem 2 Alam yang dikompangkan akan mengaut RM40 juta. Katanya... walaupun... takpe. Aku cuba objektif dalam menilai pas tengok.

Tengah makan layan akak Ziana yang baru sampai.

And it was on to the show. Pelancaran FFM 23 dan pengumuman beberapa pemenang dulu pra-malam Kemuncak.

And here's where all the problems begin.

Persembahan artis - kenapa pembukaan ngan Zehra Zambri? Very Citrawarna versi takde bajet. Selain tu, mic Hafiz masa nak perform technical issue, and yang pentingnya semua lagu yang dipersembahkan aku tak nampak relevance to the event.

The nominations memang aku ada problem sikit. Magika dalam kategori filem komedi? Fazura untuk pelakon pembantu tuk Lagenda Budak Setan dan buka pelakon wanita terbaik dalam Pisau Cukur?

Shamsul dalam pelakon lelaki terbaik?

So many things wrong kan?

Tapi kembali pada majlis.

It was held at Cineleisure, kat e-Curve. Ada ke patut majlis konon prestij, walaopon cuma pra-anugerah, di adakan di shopping mall? Yang sempit lak tuh.

Dah la memang tak eksklusif camtuh, lokasi pon tak kena.

On top of thatm, kelam kabut, bising, dan no traffic control

Soal jemputan? Leh tak Afdlin Shauki dan ramai anak seni tak dijemput - walaopon merupakan past winner yang meletup?

Yang ramai? VVIP dan VIP yang tajuk albumnya - SIAPAKAH?

Ada pihak akan kata - banyak la rungutan ko! Hakikatnya - it's true that there are so many problems with FFM 23, da hilang da any prestige to the awards yang sepatutnya tahap Oscar tuk Malaysia.

Aku dapat senarai juri malam ni. Gila.. lima orang? And mereka yang menentukan terbaik dalam industri kita? Seriously?

Patut lah 'bagus sangat' hasil.

Inilah masaalahnya bila seni dipolitikkan.

And the results? Ni keputusan malam tadi.

Filem Komedi Terbaik
1. Adnan Sempit
2. Kapoww
3. Magika
4. My Spy
5. Pisau Cukur

Pengarah Harapan
1. Edry Abd Halim (Magika)
2. Farid Kamil (V3: Samseng Jalanan)
3. Jason Chong Chia Shien (Belukar)
4. Jor Chee Leong (Haq)
5. Rosihah Zain (Hooperz)

Pelakon Pembantu Lelaki Terbaik
1. Bront Palarae (V3: Samseng Jalanan)
2. K.S Maniam (Estet)
3. Que Haidar (Lagenda Budak Setan)
4. Shaheizy Sam (Evolusi KL Drift 2)
5. Zul Suphian (Santau)

Pelakon Pembantu Wanita Terbaik
1. Lisa Surihani (V3: Samseng Jalanan)
2. Norliana Shamsudin (Adnan Sempit)
3. Nur Fazura (Lagenda Budak Setan)
4. Raja Farah (Haq)
5. Ziana Zain (Magika)

Pelakon Harapan Lelaki
1. Kamal Adli (Niyang Rapik)
2. Redza Minhat (Pisau Cukur)
3. Remy Ishak (Evolusi KL Drift 2)
4. Shashi Taran ( Estet)
5. Sheikh Bolkiah Sheikh Ahmad (Pulau Asmara)

Pelakon Harapan Wanita
1. Daphne Iking (Belukar)
2. Nik Adrea Nik Abdullah (2 Alam)
3. Nur Ashiqin Kamal (Lagenda Budak Setan)
4. Putri Mardiana (Santau)
5. Shasha Arsheela (Pulau Asmara)

Pelakon Kanak-kanak Terbaik
1. Amirul Adli Mohamed Norin (Haq)
2. Ammar Adli Mohamed Norin (Haq)
3. Farisya Fatin Faisal (Santau)
4. Fimie Don (Magika)

Penataan Seni Terbaik
1. Anuar Paharudin/Johan Lucas (Magika)
2. Irwan Idris (Lagenda Budak Setan)
3. Irwan Mazwan Ibrahim/Johan Lucas (Jin Notti)
4. Sapri Ibrahim (Estet)
5. Shah Aznan Zainun (Evolusi KL Drift 2)

Penataan Bunyi Terbaik
1. Brian Ng (V3: Samseng Jalanan)
2. Brian Ng (Santau)
3. Brian Ng (Adnan Sempit)
4. James Baun 9Evolusi KL Drift 2)
5. Edry Abd Halim/Amaluddin Syukri/Mohsin Othman (Magika)

Lagu Tema Asal Terbaik
1. Edry Abd Halim/Penyembuh Rindu (Magika)
2. Farish Ramli/ Syurga Seketika (Niyang Rapik)
3. Edry Abd Halim/ Menggegar Dunia (My Spy)

Pereka Kostum/Busana Terbaik
1. Rosada Abd Hamid (Haq)
2. Hasnan Yaacob (Jin Notti)
3. Hasnan Yaacob (Magika)
4. Shen Imageneering (My Spy)
5. Zarina Abu Sidik (Santau)

Poster Terbaik
1. Belukar (Preston Zaidan)
2. Estet (Naga VXS)
3. Magika (KRU Studios)
4. Pisau Cukur (Primeworks)
5. V3: Samseng Jalanan (MIG Production)

Tu dia. Pemenang highlighted. Do I agree? Penting ke aku setuju ke tak.

Just orang industri tahu - tiap tahun kalao ada pihak yang ada kena mengena dengan penganjuran, ada je keputusan yang menyebelahi pihak tertentu. Takyah la cita. Everyone knows... some things in this business are open secrets.

So for FFM 23? Ni baru pelancaran camni... I shudder to think of Sunday.

Now on to 2 Alam.

Ok. First of all you have to admit mamat Rozmey ni memang genius dua benda.

Dia berjaya nak brandingkan diri dia, biar sut dia yang warna-warni pelangi ala Paddle Pop ke apa, ke rambut dia yang begitu vogue - he has established himself as a brand.

Second bab dia genius - dia berjaya yakinkan orang yang 2 Alam worth watching ngan berangan nya mengatakan leh RM40 juta kat box office.

So... aku bagi can. Aku nak tengok kehebatan 'fenomena dDR' as dia sendiri kata.

Alamak.. siap bagi soundtrack pree katanya masa premiere. Owh yeah... aku masuk premiere 2 Alam, sebab the other movie is Estet dari abang Mamat Khalid. Aku pilih 2 Alam bukan sebab 2 Alam lagik bagus - tapi kerana aku sanggup bayar tuk menonton hasil kerja Mamat Khalid yang terbukti kualiti.

Alamak... ni bagi prepaid card apa lak ni? Branding sakan kaw kaw...

Sebelom pe-pe... kononnya tiket premiere 2 Alam habis, kan?

HADO?!

Panggung 2/3 kosong hawau! Beriya je cakap tiket abih, tiba-tiba tiket bersepah. Tayangan Estet betul-betul penuh sampai takde ruang masuk. 2 Alam cannot even fill the seats masa premiere. Camna tuh? Marketing strategy kata penuh - walaupun? Pastu terus update Facebook konon riuh orang nak tengok - sampai penuh. Propah sungguh demi marketing.

Hasilnya?

Inilah antara filem paling SAMPAH aku pernah tonton in my whole life.

Why?

Segi teknikal - hancus! Visual berterabur, siap ada banyak shot out of focus dan kabur. Editing choppy, sampai menggangu storytelling. Impak dan elemen kejutan meka cuba ketengahkan hado menjadi kerana tu dan juga adunan audio yang level tahap orang psycho keja kan ngan fluctuate sana sini. Hanya beberapa babak cinematography aku leh maapkan, but even then not original.

Segi lakonan - hancus! Lakonan kayu dari kebanyakan cast yang over. Tahap drama RTM 80an. Bayangkan ada satu scene nak rogol... ada ke watak tu gesel anu dia, "Boss aku la dulu boss... air tak tahan naik pala ni... biar lah aku main dulu" or something like that. Apakah???

Storytelling - hancus! No plot development, and no character development. Bayangkan, Aaron Aziz je la aku sanggup tengok - tapi tu pon hanya satu scene je yang meka cuba nak ikat watak dia pada watak si Amy. Apakah? At the end of the day, ko tak rasa pe pe pon bagi any of the characters. No emotion.

So many things wrong it will take forever kalao nak go on.

Bayangka camni je kalao ko nak imagine 2 Alam camna. Bayangkan music video karaoke Audio One yang paling hazab (betol ni.. siap ada scene music video cliche karaoke dalam kolam), campor soft porn 3GP yang censored, dan drama paling hazab ko penah tonton. Itu lah 2 Alam.

At the end of the day - Rozmey may be a good businessman, but dia bukan anak seni dan dia harus akur, produk ini bukan sesuatu yang leh dibanggakan.

2 Alam adalah bahan gelak dunia seni Malaysia. And God help us kalao Rozmey nak pakai duit dia hantar festival bagai. Malu dowh!

Perlu ke filem tunjuk adengan nak kuburkan, pastu scene main, kubur, main, kubur, main, kubur, main.. tu je.

Menggunakan the worst cliches dunia kaum ketiga - bayangkan fokus pada front page Kosmo! yang watak Amy ni sebenarnya asal seorang lelaki. Familiar? Or scene wedding Amy kahwin Mat Salleh di England ala style gereja siap pakai gaun putih yang takde kena mengena jalan cita. Familiar?

All these have made the papers before.

It's one big cliche.

And badly executed at that.

Malu gila! Aku dari gelak sebab kebodohan filem ni jadik marah in the end.

Sumpah ranah aku kenapa orang memperbodohkan industri perfileman negara kita. Memang betol la apa diperkatakan selama ni. In this business, yang ada duit - hado sense of making proper films, dan mereka yang kreatif lak - nak carik modal tuk fund their productions struggle gila.

Hmphhh.. sapa nak gi tengok 2 Alam, gi lah. Aku rasa baik korang derma RM10 lagik baik. Ada gak berkatnya dari mengalakkan kebodohan camni.

Status 2 Alam? Sama pangkat ngan filem filem sampah seperti Misi 1511, Mendam Berahi, Pulau Asmara dan Lembing Awang Pulang Ke Dayang.

Again. SAMPAH!

Dah panas-panas.. korang layan la pic Aaron.

And with his beautiful wifey (kalao ada sequel nak ke tima? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA), Diyana Halik.

By the way, Diyana and I had the same penchant for accessories. Check out our ring.

Abih je, kita semua ramai-ramai ke Rasta. Ramai orang kuat pembikin filem skali. We all talked and laughed about this. Here's hoping Rozmey akan menggunakan duit dia dengan cara betul, salurkan pada anak seni yang betul-betul mampu melahirkan hasil membanggakan.

By the way, I'd rather keep my money and watch banyak lagi filem Afdlin (Misteri Jalan Lama) dan Mamat Khalid (Estet, Kak Limah Pulang Ke Rumah - sekuel Zombi Kampung Pisang) dari layan filem SAMPAH!

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The day I watched Avatar - or another movie you MUST watch

If you really had to watch any movies in the cinema this year, here are my MUST WATCH recommendations.

Forget the crap that people tell you are the best for whatever reasons. You WILL enjoy these movies for very different reasons each.Because I said so... (matilah perasan). Ok.. not really. But you will LOVE these movies for reasons stated below.

The first is obviously, the still playing Zombieland. Whether you love horror, or comedy, you'll love Zombieland.

Popcorn movie, with a so-so plot, but amazing one-liners, a crazy cameo, and astounding comic timing, Zombieland is definitely one of the must watch movies of the year. Sayangnya aku gi panggung kat sini tengok, tak ramai layan. What a waste. I know friends who didn't want to watch Zombieland, and did - say they were lucky they caught it anyway or they would have missed something big.

It's the sort of movie you come out - having been entertained, and totally oblivious to the fact you just paid more for the snacks, than the tickets. Won't review it further as I've written loads on it.

Then tonight, I watched the second MUST WATCH movie of 2009. The much talked about Avatar.

Like how some must feel towards Zombieland, I had my own prejudices against Avatar. After all, the hype seemed a little too much that it would be hard to justify that the movie would actually be good enough.

Closest example would be the silly kiddy movie Twilight : New Goon or new loon or or something like that... stupidest movie ever made for 14 year-olds (boys or girls) who just want to see semi nude men but have no access to porn.

To make sure I had the complete experience to judge Avatar, I watched it in 3D. Despite having to sit in the second row from the screen as the halls were packed, I did it anyway... knowing I would judge it more harshly for the uncomfortable 'pleasure' of having my head tilted 45 degrees for some two hours.

And so how did I feel about it?

This beats the crap out of Titanic - and there isn't even an annoying theme song that will last two decades!

While people talk about the special effects and technology involved, that took James Cameron some 14 years to make this movie as he had to wait for technology to catch up to his vision for it, I saw it it for very different qualities.

Yes, the CGI was good. It wasn't abusively used like in Transformers or Spiderman movies which ends up making the offerings look like very expensive Saturday morning cartoons. In fact, sebab keadaan camtuh lah aku biasanya elak movie with tons of CGI...

And to be amazed by Avatar wasn't easy as it had something like 80% CGI.

In fact, I didn't notice all the technological advancements, because it was made to look so organic that I could have sworn for most parts, James Cameron must have managed to make it look like CGI instead for boasting points.

The settings were amazingly details, as was the whole world created. The characters were all so - well.. real! In fact, with hype that the movie may be up for nine Oscars or so, I hope Neytiri gets a nod for Best Actress (ok... so she's not a real person... but still... it was that good).

The emotions were as finely delivered and communicated - if not better, than any real living, breathing person.

The script itself was simple. Think good versus evil. Think good winning. Think rich greedy corporation capitalising off the downtrodden. Think David versus Goliath. Think Terminator series minus the T1000s or whatever version you watched.

But here's where it gets interesting.

While I love Zombieland for being 'brainless' and just being one of those movies o have a good time with, Avatar can not only do that - but also strike home a message or two.

The whole story begins with Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-Marine hired to replace his twin brother's place in an experimental project in which human minds are transferred into bodies created from a hybrid of human and alien DNA (or avatars).

The brainchild of tough-talking scientist (Sigourney Weaver!), the project was devised to smooth talk the alien race of the Na’vi, on planet Pandora, into giving up their land which sits on a mass plot of a valuable mineral Unobtainium.

While unprepared, Jake manages to forge a tie with the Na'vi and eventually falls for his mentor in Neytiri - possible the hottest alien ever created.

Things get hostile when force is used for the company pushes acquisition of the land to mine the mineral and Jake has to take side.

Not so subtle - but if you just take a little time to think about it, I think somewhere there is James Cameron's jibe at something.

Whether it's a political statement on the occupation of Iraq, or the bitchy bitterness of America's past with Vietnam, or even a swipe at their past with the indigenous population of native Americans... we'll never know.

But stories like Avatar are broad enough for many interpretations. Simple message of greed and how that spurs the justification that might means right more often than not ends up in apocalyptic mass destruction is something anyone can relate to.

Personally for me, I kept thinking of the endless logging of rich fat cats in East Malaysia and the plight of the Penans (no I'm not thinking of the blue skinned, semi nude, riding on genetically superior pterodactyls).

But that's just me...

And let's not forget the whole politically correct approach to being one with Mother Nature and how we should love and respect the earth and all. The Na'vi represent an ideal that is unattainable, but again, ideal - for a materialistic, consumer driven world.

Yeah... so... no matter what you go for in a movie, Avatar is a freaking must watch. I don't know how it looks in 2D, but catching it in 3D was amazing. Unlike most 3D offerings, I didn't have things flying at me or anything. It was used tastefully to enhance the experience. In reverse, instead of the movie popping out at me, it sucked me into this whole other world!

In fact - half hour into it, I forgot I was watching in 3D, but still felt so enveloped in the film that when they Na'vi were gearing up to fight back, I wanted to scream along. In fact... I did... embarrassing!

And yes, like Titanic, there were moments I pretended I got something in my eyes.

So watch it. Even if you have to sit in the second row like me. Even if there is some stupid kid yelping on his handphone befor I kick the back of his seat in Kelantanese dialect halfway through the movie. Even if there is a huge Chinese guy three seats away is snoring up a storm. Even if the stupid couple behind gives a running commentary in Arabic. And even if someone's feet smell in the cinema. Even if you watch the midnight screening and have to wait in an empty mall for almost two hours staring at walls in an un-air condition space.

It's all worth it. Despite some friends saying it was Star Trek meets Smurfs with Mystique from X-Men in the lead.

And the last movie worth catching for, in 2009?

Forget the reviews of some who call it boring. I've watched it three times. And no, it isn't a popcorn movie like Zombieland. Or a visual extravaganza like Avatar.

But it is THE BEST local movie for 2009. For many reasons that other movies lack. The soul.

Arwah Yasmin told me this after I watched the offline edit of Muallah for the first time about two years ago when I came out of the Leo Burnett theatherette in tears when I admitted I loved the movie - but I said she was swinging back in to non-commercial mode of making movies.

"But did you enjoy it?"

I said I did.

"Did you understand it?"

I told her I probably wasn't the right person to answer that, as I probably am not able to read between the lines and all. But I did get something from it - so many lessons in relation to me, my beliefs and my understanding of my faith.

She just smiled and said, "Then that's all that matters."

We often look for movies with answers.

But the best movies, encourage us to think, to question - and search for answers on our own. And for that very reason, watch Avatar and Zombieland. And if you feel numbed by having to think so much, then go for Zombieland.

Unless you want to be dumbed down by movies with no passion. Then go for anything else.

Muallaf as expected will not get good reviews - simply because many reviewers in all their intelligence will not acknowledge something they don't understand, and the late Yasmin still has lots of haters when it comes to her work.

Other than that, Zombieland is still showing, Avatar is still packed, and Muallaf opens on Christmas eve.

Watch them. Definitely worth your money.

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Of Avril and Barney

Avril Lavigne's concert was horrible yesterday. It was actually the most boring concert I've been my whole life, And trust me, I've been to a lot, and this is just so... juvenile!

The first time I saw Avril live was in Singapore was before I interviewed her a few years back. Back then, she couldn't sing. But her show was rocking - despite her being a major poser and a rocker wannbe. And I have to admit then it was a guilty pleasure.

But this time she just sucked.

Some people enjoyed it, but I think the only way you could have enjoyed the show last night was if you were one of those who also probably fit into the criteria below. So if you enjoyed Avril's show last night, chances are -

1. You were in the region of 13 years old
2. You haven't been to many concerts, or you just simply don't get out much.
3. You had a hot date beside you to take up your attention
4. You think the ah lian wannabe goth look is cool
5. You also love boybands and you think an artist is 'cute' therefore amazingly talented
6. The hardest thing you've rocked to is something Top 40
7. You still like Barney the dinosaur and thinks he sings live
8. You think someone playing something like four chords after years of claiming to be a rocker, actually makes the person a rocker.
9. You actually believe rock concerts have bacding dancers and dance breaks as the performer keeps stealing time to recuperate.
10. You think it's standard for someone claiming to be punk pop to be sitting through four songs straight.

So for me, the concert sucked. Avril Lavigne was just butt lazy on stage, lacking in any real movement. Her vocals sounded better - perhaps thanks to the female backing singers she had in tow. Yeap when I first saw her, only the band backed her on vocals, but now there are other female vocals to plug the holes in her singing.

The sound system was crap, and the stage and lighting set up was amateurish fun fair at best.
Yes, I have her CD, and that's worth the price. But thank God I didn't have to pay to watch her show! People actually started going back after about half a dozen songs. I kid you not. And so many people were griping about how boring it was.

And by the way, while there was word that it was to be a capacity crowd as tickets were apparently sold out, the number of people who showed up... well.. let's just say expectations would have only been half met if you thought it was going to be a full house.

Whoopie... so exciting...


If I don't sound convinced... it's because I'm not...


On the field


Poor folks on the field but way behind


With JD from Berita Harian, Yanie from Harian Metro and Radin from New Straits Times

The stage


More interesting was the drama when the PAS Youth people had their silent protest distributing flyers outside the stadium. Erm... I actually agree with their reasons behind the protest, tapi aku rasa too much la nak masuk area tuh nak distribute flyers cam orang yang gi concert tuh about to burn in hell. Seriously...

Aduh... whatever happened to freedom of choice. If the concert is on.. terima sajalah.
At any rate not very polite to the organisers or promoters for them to walt in pastu nak ply their self-righteousness. I mean, it just sends the wrong message, and the real reasons behind it becomes lost. But whatever...





Anywayhere are pics from the show. Thanks to mates in Sony BMG Malaysia. Yeap they own the pcis people and I'm only using them here on permission, so kalao nak pakai, if you really have to use them, please credit them as well ok.
















Me going to continue movie marathon lazing at home for now. Ta all.

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