[TV Series] How I Met Your Mother 2005-2014 #5

So as you know HIMYM tells a story of Ted Mosby in the year of 2030 recounting his story about how he met the mother to his future children. He started the story on his 20s living in Manhattan along with his witty group of friends. Its very last episodes has just ended around a week ago and it's been one of my fave sitcom ever so, in order to give.. say.. an ode, I feel like writing more about its 'controversial' ending. 

How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) 
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Creator: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas
Starring: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders
Nominated for 2 Golden Globe Awards for Neil Patrick Harris as Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (2009-2010)

Idk how to to put my feelings properly, I've been sort of in between of love and hate. Well, slightly more on the hate actually. Because it feels like it isn't a proper goodbye ending. Like it's been forced to end so suddenly. I mean, does it matter that there are millions of viewers out there been loyally watching it for years and somewhat grow up with the series, o dear writers of HIMYM? And as well dat wise quotes the gang's been babbling about which we've taken them very seriously as an enlightenment in life? The whole ending thing was such disgrace (sorry cant help the drama!).

SPOILER ALERT

Since the last bits of season 9 moves too slow and it basically explains all about Robin's wedding, I thought that it would be nice of you guys to make at least one more season for that two last episodes. We're all left perplexed by so many loose ends here. Like how the hell did Barney and Robin ended up split (I mean, specifically)? Now what've all that Robin Barney crap been doing all along? Have they turned into an actual form of 'bullcrap'? And yesss we'd kill to know more about Robin's journey being a news reporter, more from Ted's marriage and his children, Barney's sudden fatherhood (for sure!!!!), Marshall's being a judge supreme and anything Lily's been doing now? Also the last but not least, the mother. I think it's so cruel to save her only for a season and then throw her in front of a cancer bus and bring back Ted Robin. (someone has tweeted this before in #HIMYMFinale and it sounds soooo sarcastically hurts but at the same time feels... true)

The gang hanging out at MacLarens Pub.

Anyway, no matter how much I couldn't bear to loathe, there's still love left for HIMYM. It was indeed... an epic ending. I've never and I bet nobody has ever had any slight of thought, whatsoever, that it would end like that. The clues are there lying in front of our eyes but we're too busy wondering how the mother would be like. Like the very first clue, Ted told the story right when he first met Robin and how he's always been there for Robin at any circumstances. It's a shame we need Ted's daughter to help us putting the jigsaw clues back together. But then again, if it supposed to end like this then why titled it with "How I Met Your Mother" at first place?

Regardless all these forever unanswered questions in our heads, lastly, thanks for being there dear HIMYM. To somehow being our faithful source for soul searching and guided us to get through 20s with your wise, thoughtful dialogues. Also that surreal gagssssss we couldn't help to laugh so hard we needed to hit pause to continue laughing. And the pappapaparara opening song, legend-wait-for-it-dary Barney, doppelgangers, suit-up, slap bets and everything!  
Ya'll be missed.

Oh here's a clip of the infamous Let's Go To The Mall by Robin Sparkles which I think was such a mindblowing side of Robin Scherbatsky :')


Final verdict: 8.5/10

Dallas Buyers Club (2013) #4

Dallas Buyers Club (2013) 
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Director: Jean-Marc Valée
Writer: Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto
Nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Leading Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editor, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Original Screenplay.

Ron Woodroof's (Matthew McConaughey) life of getting high in drugs, sex, alcohol and gambling turns upside down after diagnosed with AIDS and given only 30 days to live. He moves on his life and begins to do some researches for his sickness that led to regime of medications that could prolong his life. Aware that he can take advantage of it, he then overcomes his homophobic to partner up with a transgender and also an HIV positive, Rayon (Jared Leto). Together they start selling the drugs to other AIDS survivors. By the time passing by he realized he's not doing this for the sake of money anymore but the good to help AIDS survivors lives in need. But his righteous attempt meets troubles along the way. His drugs he's carrying hasn't approved by FDA. Now he has to face the fact that his struggling to stay alive is not only for himself anymore but also for the lives of Dallas Buyers Club.

Review
I love the story, it's well-written, rich in values of life and powerful characters, like Woodroof. He has not only transitioned from a rude yet sleazy sex addict into a social hero, but he also sort of handling a secret message. Like somehow, deep down even the utmost douchebag... do have hearts and a selflessness even if it's only a tiny bit. For what he's done is superbly inspiring. Especially that scene when Woodroof gave his last speech like a ghetto to a private FDA-AIDS survivors meeting. Just... snap.



Aside from the story, both McConaughey and Leto has pulled their best effort not only physical-wise (just look how unbelievably skinny they are, it's like they're physically ready to die) but also acting-wise. McConaughey appears to be drowned deep into his character resulting Woodroof to have a strong straight-forward quality. While Leto here as a transgender depicting a warm-hearted fragile Rayon that I believe everyone will fall for her at first sight. Hence, later at Oscars party, they should take a selfie together holding their own Oscars and post it on Instagram... I mean they deserve it!

PS: I do still hope that Leo gets an Oscar (just like the rest of the internet), but it seems a little dubious considering his other competitor like McConaughey. Then again, Oscars is like a box of chocolate, you'll never know who will take em home until you watch it yourself.

Final verdict: 8.5/10

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) #3

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) 
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Terence Winter (screenplay), Jordan Belfort (book)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey
Nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Leading Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The film focused mainly on the rise and fall of an american broker, Jordan Belfort's (Leonardo DiCaprio) eccentric life. On his younger poor days he started his very own brokerage firm--Stratton Oakmont from scratch by selling worthless stocks on the market. It gains a major success and he becomes richer than ever. Though he obviously realizes he has committed fraud by manipulating stock market, his company gains even more success as well as his wealth, along with his addiction of drugs, hookers, and parties. Blinded by his gleaming glory, he becomes careless and was unaware that his downfall is only waiting to happen. 


Review
Just a quick reminder if you haven't seen this film: There were so many nudity and drugs abuse here. So for the sake of averting awkwardness, don't watch it along with your parents or anyone :p. But aside from that, this another masterpiece of Martin Scorsese is pure brilliance. Plain great and actually pretty entertaining. It takes almost 3 hours but you won't notice that since the plot flows quite fast like bam bam bam with its dialogs, scenes and everything. Also I want to take a standing ovation to Leo because he did a great job. He's gone just completely... megalomaniac. His acting seems better. It's seen that he has pulled his best effort for this role. Like that time when he did such passionate speech in front of his employees. I can even see his veins showing from his neck as he speaks. So I am pretty sure he actually got a shot at taking home his very first Oscar this time. He just gotta have more luck than the other nominees.



By the way, The Wolf of Wall Street also reminds me of Leo's previous film with Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can which I think they have a lot in common by storywise--success by deceit.

Source here.

And here's a super awesome--shot in the head--inspirational quote from the book by Jordan Belfort in real life (which I've just known by watching this film lol).

Final verdict: 8.6/10

Nebraska (2013) #2

Nebraska (2013) 
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Director: Alexander Payne
Writer: Bob Nelson
Starring: Bruce Stern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk
Nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.

Woody Grant (Bruce Stern), a senior man with alcohol issues insists going to Lincoln, Nebraska presuming he's about to get his "a million dollar prize" from a coupon letter. Realizing how badly his dad wants to go pursuing his sham winning, his son, David (Will Forte), takes a long journey from his house in Montana to Lincoln just for him. While on their way there, Woody gets his head thumped so he has to take some rests for a few days. David then stops by at Hawthorne which isn't as far to visit his relatives where Woody had spent his youth. His fake winning then becomes a talk of the town and he has to deal with people who wants to take advantage of it.

Review
This is a black white and mostly quiet film though it doesn't feel like it. I was of course doubt it since most b/w films were boring. But Nebraska didn't as well. I guess it's that folk town vibes and the music that makes it homey. First time I saw the credits, that folk-ish melody stuck quite well in my mind. Thanks to Mark Orton, unsung genius behind those pretty music. Also, Woody reminds me of my old grannie who was pretty much just like Woody. Like when she sleeps with mouth opened, or those typical old people conversation.



I could say Nebraska was a lovely film. Once you reached the end and found out the reason why Woody insisted going to Lincoln to take his a million dollar prize, you'll definitely go... aww and start sobbing a bit. (Well it works for me since i'm pretty sentimental :p).

Hence, final verdict: 8.2/10

[TV Series] Breaking Bad 2008-2013 #1

Well the actual series ended around September 2013 on AMC. At that time, I had no idea Breaking Bad even existed. Then when I moved to a new dorm back in Bintaro and I basically got nothing to do but sleep, eat, repeat.. I browsed some series on IMDb just to kill my time yet I found Breaking Bad sitting at the top of most rated tv series. I was very interested in watching it and I was this close buying their pirated all season DVDs on Blok-M. But I thought I just need to get home soon and turn on my wifi so I could download them all on piratebay... free of charge! ;)

Breaking Bad (2008-2013) 
IMDb Rating: 9.6/10 <---- I KNOW RIGHT!
Creator: Vince Gilligan
Writer: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, RJ Mitte
Won 2 Golden Globe Awards including  
- Best Television Series - Drama and  
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama, Bryan Cranston

Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is a loving family man and a brilliant chemist who unfortunately lives in a not-so-equally-brilliant wealth. For a nobel prize honoured in crystallography chemistry, he only works as a high school chemistry teacher. Overqualified, indeed. But then bad luck doesn't stop right there, he was also diagnosed for stage 3 lung cancer. Having realised the fact that he's going to die soon and his salary as a chemistry teacher still can't manage to secure his family finance, he decides to cook crystal methamphetamine with his ex- student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), whom he met at a drug raid. Walter uses his skill as a scientist making purest (yet highly demanded) methamphetamine to ever existed in the drug market. Producing this meth, though has been extraordinary profitable, doesn't come out easy for Walt as his DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Norris), often interferes his business. He has to face a greater challenge, not only to keep away his identity as the most wanted, Heisenberg, from his DEA brother-in-law and his family, but also to develop better strategies against the cartel.

Review
Once I watched the first season, I couldn't stop it really. I kept eating the whole season then moved to next.. unstoppably. I strongly recommend you guys to watch it bcs it's overly addicting. Technically just like snorting a dash of meth (ok sorry this is too much). It doesn't look like it's gonna bore you anyway since... I know, first time you read the short synopsis you'll be like, ain't nobody got time to watch a helluva heavy hourly based series. Well, it's not gonna happen bcs Breaking Bad is fairly light-medium one plus the plot makes you wanna go and go watch the next eps without even realizing it.

Walt and Jesse making crystal blue meths.

Now when you finished watching all seasons you'll feel like a part of you had gone away, and you're left clueless abt what to do the next day. Just prepare to feel like an absolute shit at that day. But at the same time feeling so... I don't know how to express this but you'll moan to yourself that this has been a great ride watching Breaking Bad. You'll feel sad that this is over but yet happy because IT HAPPENS. It's just.... so gooooood you got to watch it asap. (sorry for being overly persuasive, can't hold it :p)

Smashed up crystal meth candy.

A little trivia, you're gonna want to make that crystal meth legally once you watch Breaking Bad. I mean I'm talking... crystal meth candy. Here's a blog from sugarhero.com to show you how to do it. It looks so yum, isn't it?

Lastly, final verdict: (since nothing in this world is perfect, so...) 9.8/10

2014 Oscars Haul

2014 Oscars is one step away and just yesterday, the whole nominations was announced. I was a bit surprised bcs I thought it will be aired by May, instead it turns out March 2nd on ABC. As always, Golden Globes took the prophecy first on who and which will get the nominations. After reading series of news out there, 12 Years of Slave and American Hustle stole the top prizes of Globes on Sunday night, including best motion picture drama for 12 Years of Slave and best comedy or musical motion picture for American Hustle.

While actress throne was given to Cate Blanchett on her role on Blue Jasmine, and Amy Adams for American Hustle. Not quite shocking, right? But this happens quite unlikely for the best actor. Matthew McConnaughey won it for his role on Dallas Buyers Club instead of Chiwetel Ejiofor who was overly hyped by many to be the one who will take it home. On the other hand Leonardo DiCaprio won the Globe too for The Wolf of Wall Street. (I secretly wished Leo to win the Oscar this time, I just.. well he should win it at least once :) ).

For more 2014 Golden Globe winners, here.

So by Golden Globes forecast, here comes a list of nominations and nominees of 2014 Academy Awards as announced yesterday on January 16th:

Heads up nominees!

Best picture
"12 Years a Slave"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
"Captain Phillips"
"Her"
"American Hustle"
"Gravity"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
"Nebraska"
"Philomena"

Best director
Steve McQueen -- "12 Years a Slave"
David O. Russell -- "American Hustle"
Alfonso Cuaron -- "Gravity"
Alexander Payne -- "Nebraska"
Martin Scorsese -- "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Best actor
Bruce Dern -- "Nebraska"
Chiwetel Ejiofor -- "12 Years a Slave"
Matthew McConaughey -- "Dallas Buyers Club"
Leonardo DiCaprio -- "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Christian Bale -- "American Hustle"

Best actress
Amy Adams -- "American Hustle"
Cate Blanchett -- "Blue Jasmine"
Judi Dench -- "Philomena"
Sandra Bullock -- "Gravity"
Meryl Streep -- "August: Osage County"

Best supporting actor
Barkhad Abdi -- "Captain Phillips"
Bradley Cooper -- "American Hustle"
Jonah Hill -- "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Jared Leto -- "Dallas Buyers Club"
Michael Fassbender -- "12 Years a Slave"

Best supporting actress
Jennifer Lawrence -- "American Hustle"
Lupita Nyong'o -- "12 Years a Slave"
June Squibb -- "Nebraska"
Julia Roberts -- "August: Osage County"
Sally Hawkins -- "Blue Jasmine"

Best original screenplay
"American Hustle" -- David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer
"Blue Jasmine" -- Woody Allen
"Her" -- Spike Jonze
"Nebraska" -- Bob Nelson
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack

Best adapted screenplay
"12 Years a Slave" -- John Ridley
"Before Midnight" -- Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater
"The Wolf of Wall Street" -- Terence Winter
"Captain Phillips" -- Billy Ray
"Philomena" -- Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope

Best animated feature
"The Wind Rises"
"Frozen"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Ernest & Celestine"
"The Croods"

Best foreign feature
"The Hunt" (Denmark)
"The Broken Circle Breakdown" (Belgium)
"The Great Beauty" (Italy)
"Omar" (Palestinian territories)
"The Missing Picture" (Cambodia)

Best music (original song)
"Frozen": "Let it Go" -- Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom": "Ordinary Love" -- U2, Paul Hewson
"Her": "The Moon Song" -- Karen O, Spike Jonze
"Despicable Me 2": "Happy" -- Pharrell Williams
"Alone Yet Not Alone": "Alone Yet Not Alone" -- Bruce Broughton, Dennis Spiegel

Best music (original score)
"Gravity" -- Steven Price
"Philomena" -- Alexandre Desplat
"The Book Thief" -- John Williams
"Saving Mr. Banks" -- Thomas Newman
"Her" -- William Butler and Owen Pallett

Best cinematography
"Gravity" -- Emmanuel Lubezki
"Inside Llewyn Davis" -- Bruno Delbonnel
"Nebraska" -- Phedon Papamichael
"Prisoners" -- Roger Deakins
"The Grandmaster" -- Phillippe Le Sourd

Best costume design
"The Great Gatsby" -- Catherine Martin
"12 Years a Slave" -- Patricia Norris
"The Grandmaster" -- William Chang Suk Ping
"American Hustle" -- Michael Wilkinson
"The Invisible Woman" -- Michael O'Connor

Best documentary feature
"The Act of Killing"
"20 Feet From Stardom"
"The Square"
"Cutie and the Boxer"
"Dirty Wars"

Best film editing
"Gravity" -- Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger
"12 Years a Slave"-- Joe Walker
"Captain Phillips" -- Christopher Rouse
"American Hustle" -- Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa

Best makeup and hairstyling
"The Lone Ranger" -- Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny
"Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" -- Stephen Prouty
"Dallas Buyers Club" -- Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews

Best production design
"12 Years a Slave" -- Adam Stockhausen and Alice Baker
"The Great Gatsby" -- Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn
"American Hustle" -- Judy Becker and Heather Loeffler
"Gravity" -- Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard
"Her" -- K.K. Barrett and Gene Serdena

Best visual effects
"Gravity"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Star Trek Into Darkness"
"Iron Man 3"
"The Lone Ranger"

Best sound mixing
"Gravity"
"Captain Phillips"
"Lone Survivor"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Best sound editing
"Gravity"
"All Is Lost"
"Captain Phillips"
"Lone Survivor"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Best short film, live action
"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)"
"Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)"
"Helium"
"Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)"
"The Voorman Problem"

Best short film, animated
"Feral"
"Get a Horse!"
"Mr. Hublot"
"Possessions"
"Room on the Broom"

Best documentary short
"CaveDigger"
"Facing Fear"
"Karama Has No Walls"
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life"
"Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall"

There's one missing point I can't even believe. Tom Hanks on his role for Captain Philips didn't make it through Oscar nominee for best actor. Strange indeed.

And btw, not a single of them I've ever watched, so I can't really judge which and who deserves the Oscar. But I am positively suuure though internet has spreaded that 2014 is the worst year of Oscars, and how there are so many speculations out there.... all the nominees do, have the same opportunity to win.

The 2014 Film Review Challenge

I neeeeed this for the longest time possible and my fella here, Hamidah, just pointed it out for me. She out of the blue had posted a very intriguing offer on my facebook wall which was a 2014 film review challenge.

It'd be fun to be challenged and keep a track of our films that we've watched so far for a year. So at the end of the year we'll know exactly how many and how do we feel everytime we watch em. And anyway, it's good to keep on practicing our writing skill. Then I said, challenge accepted!

Though it is completely personal challenge, if any of you guys wanted to be part of this, then come and join. Here's short how to below.


1. Write a blog title with the following format:
     [Title] [Released Year] [#Consecutive number of the film you've watched] e.g.:
     American Hustle (2013) #1
     12 Years A Slave (2014) #2
2. Write a basic information of the film, consisting:
    - Title (Released Year)
    - IMDb Rating or Rotten Tomatoes Rating (or any film rating you consider legit)
    - Director
    - Writer
    - Starring (Actors/ Actresses)
3. Write a simple plot of the film.
4. Write anything you want regarding the film, it can be:
    - how was the plot/ the acting
    - how did the film make you feel and why
    - your favourite part/ scenes of the film (avoid spoilers as min as possible & no story twists)
    - adding a youtube trailer or any trivia/ facts will be fun
    - how do you recommend to others, is it yay/nay to watch
    - lastly, your very own rating in 10/10 basis

I already had a quite long list waiting to be reviewed soon. From now on it will most probably be written short and simple. Considering that the most important thing is to give a straight to the point message about how the film left impressions in you. Was it worth watching or not and such.

So I guess that's it and I hope this will be a total doable challenge to all of us.
Good luck and happy watching! ;)

The Conjuring (2013)

Blame me in the name of the overly-hyped yet most-talked about film on twitter this week. I am actually a coward. It puts me a lot of courage watching ghost-themed film or anything that will potentially scare the shit out of me for days. I used to go nuts over a creaking door or the edge of the room or under the bed. I had constant hatred to the bolster too bcs it reminds me of.. you know that 'local ghost in plain white sheets'. I got terrified over the sound of sorrowly girl crying in the midst of the night though it's really just a sound of a bloody cat. Then all I could do is sleeping with the lights on or I might need a company throughout the night.

However, my curiosity conquers it all. I finally went to see The Conjuring this Thursday along with my two old friends. We felt pretty much excited because we had been tried hard to take more friends with us but.. nah they're too fainthearted.

The Conjuring (2013) 
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Director: James Wan
Writer: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lily Taylor, Ron Livingston

Some time in the early 70s, a big family of seven, Perron family, moves to an old rickety farmhouse in the suburb. During the first day,  the whole family is in delight though the dog's unusually scared rejects to come into the house. The Perrons keep busy unpacking their furnitures while the kids are happily playing hide-and-clap. Then suddenly, one of the kid inadvertently finds an entrance to a hidden cellar. Now that initiates the whole series of paranormal things. The next day and after, the terror starts happening to one another member of the family and it gets worse each and everyday. Terrifies, Carolyn Perron (Lily Taylor) asks Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) to help them seek the problem in the house. The Warrens' investigation and research to the house's history leads to an awful discovery that afterall the house isn't really the core problem. It is the evil works that has done in the house years ago which makes it cursed. Now either The Perrons or The Warrens have to make a quick move or else someone is going to get killed.

The Review
Since I'm a diehard coward and got startled very easily, I always sheer-closed my eyes with my hands everytime the plot starts to get intense. I screamed almost the entire film too. When it's time to stepped out of the cinema, my body felt a light physical breakdown for no reason. My legs somehow a bit trembled it took awhile to self-adjust. It's weird how a film could make you 'disabled'.

The Conjuring is quite captivating--The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror combined.  I'm not gonna give comments about their acting since they did it just fine. But I was pretty astonished to see there were like tons of ghost sightings in the film and it creeped me out. There are several eerie scenes, the one that stuck in my mind is when Carolyn Perron got trapped in the cellar and heard the sound of strange claps. It's real horrifying and I can't imagine myself ever experienced the same thing. And of course, the exorcism scene in the cellar that dominates the whole film.

Exorcism scene in the cellar (Source)

And about the plot, I must say for a two-hour-ish film, it's a really good one. I got carried on with their investigation, the way they reveal one by one facts about the condemned house. Very exciting. But here's one lack of thing in the plot that I absolutely hate--the ending. It's too obviously explained and it buzzkilled the whole thing. Well, maybe it is what truly happened in Warren's case files but I see this very very very much displeased for a film, especially the horror-thriller one. An ideal horror film should ends up perplexing and make the viewers feels like shit after like, "Wtf? What the hell is happening? Why it ends up like that? Whaaat???" There, so the viewers takes their very own version of why that film ended up, it sucks but it's so much fun, isn't it ? :)

Hence, final verdict: 8.2/10

Stoker (2013)

I've watched Stoker, Shame and Prozac Nation which all were psychological themed films the past month. Things have been tied up as I've been interning at a govie treasury office in my hometown. Then I thought that the theme suits perfectly with my current life. Well it doesn't mean I have the exact same psychological problems but I can tell we share the same fundamental value. We're most definitely bored.

Stoker (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Director: Chan-wook Park
Writer: Wentworth Miller, Erin Cressida Wilson
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney

Sets in nowadays, a coming-of-age India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) has to deal a tragic loss of her father, Richard Stoker (Dermot Mulroney) and a sudden visit of her long lost uncle, Charles Stoker (Matthew Goode). India starts smells some funny business between her mother, Evelyn Stoker (Nicole Kidman) and Charlie after seeing their frequent affection and intimacy around the house. Something mysterious is hidden inside his uncle's mind, she knows it's bad. Though Charlie keeps trying to get to know her better by cooking a dinner for India and her mother, picking her up at school, saving her lives after getting bullied and nearly raped by her school mate. But still, India has to find out a mystery behind Charlie's appearance in the family. The mystery that will change her forever. And all it takes, is the key she got from her 19th birthday present from her dead father.

Le Review

Getting bored is a dangerous state to every beings in life. It'll trick your mind to do something else, something different than you usually do. Something that pleases you. An escape from a routine, a reality. If we talk about sane people, they'll probably take a day off, go for a vacation, cherish life a little bit. However, this won't be the options for those who is mentally unstable. I mean not generally, but some of them will do for sure. Common people have boundaries of things they want to do when they get bored, while the sick.. apparently don't share the same idea. It can be worse like killing, raping, vandalizing, and all the batshits.

Talking about Stoker, it is exactly about the ugly causes of getting bored. They get bored, they're sick of having poor expectations. It turns out the other way in real life that things don't happen the way they want it to be. Hence, they will do 'something different' just like us, common people, going on a vacation. But this time... they do 'it' in their very own way. Same thing happens between India and Charlie's relationship, implicitly.

Charlie and India piano duet

This film is dark and puzzling. Creepy but sublime. Just to see Charlie's eyes has given me goosebumps. They look scary and intimidating but preposterously beautiful. Also India's house and outfits seems vintage, you won't realize this film sets in modern day. The horrific classic music and the fairly fast plot.. also roots Stoker's cold atmosphere. Three main actors, Wasikowska, Goode and Kidman performances are well done nicely too. Such great approach by Chan-wook Park, the director, who is also the director of Oldboy (2003). (A korean film, same psychological theme just like Stoker, but a lot more puzzling and the most mindfuck film ever seen. You should watch it too.)

I recommend Stoker if you want a mindblowing puzzled film with a twist ending.
Final verdict: 8/10

Django Unchained (2012)

Quentin Tarantino, never fails me. Since his third directing debut, Reservoir Dogs (1992) until Django Unchained (2013), he never quits trying to amuse people. His visionary directing style, his ability to cast only the best actors, and the most apparent reason which makes him rules will be.. his piece of writings, his way of making a conversation sounds smart, sarcastic and dreadfully meant something. Heavy but fairly light in the same time. That's a kind of talent not every director slash writer has.

Django Unchained (2012)
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx,
Christoph Waltz,
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Samuel L. Jackson.
Won 2 of 5 Oscars nominations including
Best Supporting Actor by Christoph Waltz and  
Best Original Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino.


Unlike any of his previous films set in modern era of 21st century, this time he brings us back to 18th century antebellum era of the Deep South and Old West, where slavery were still quite an issue.

Django and Schultz bounty hunting.

Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave freed by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German dentist and also a bounty hunter, both are on the journey across the United States to rescue Django's wife, Broomhilda, from a cruel plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). The pair goes in a smooth way at first, as Schultz well acclaimed as a professional bounty hunter. He can predict what will happen ridiculously in a very precise way. He always knows a way out of trouble with his plan Bs running around his head. But unexpected things happen when they head towards Candie's mansion. Something even Schultz can't expect.

Le Review
Splendiferous as always. I'm glad Tarantino still entrusted Christoph Waltz as a smartass Schultz and yet he won the best supporting actor for it. Incredible. While Leonardo DiCaprio--in my greatest attempt to make it sound as humble as possible--had failed taking over the spotlight. I honestly expect more coming from DiCaprio's acting, unfortunately he's kind of in static mode right now. Though he played a bad guy here, still seemed uncanny to me just like his roles in Blood Diamond, Gangs of New York, The Aviator. He better try a completely challenging, different roles than any of his previous films. Move on to Jamie Foxx, I think he did an okay job, just right. At first I thought he played it stiffy nervous Django, and at the end of the movie, deus ex machina as always, he turned into fierce Django and saved the day.

The plot is brilliant indeed. It's like riding a hysteria. It'll goof around your mood, lift you until a certain point and then drop you fast and hard. It slowly lift up afterwards and start all over again.  Also the dialogue is smart and light, it's not gonna bore you. This is a kind of treatment everytime I see Tarantino's pieces. I get my mind blown all the time.

Happy watching!

Final verdict: 9/10

Ghost World (2001)

I knew this film from kazillion years ago. I did I wanted to see it but kinda doubt it bcs I was worried it'd turned out to be a cult, reaaaally weird, completely random film. But then an itsy bitsy voice inside of me said "Ah maybe, maybe not Indah, you totally gotta see it. You'll thank me if it turns out to be as great as Juno." As  I expected, the itsy bitsy voice inside of me was wrong, so.. no 'thank you' to you mademoiselle. 

Ghost World (2001) 

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Director: Terry Zwigoff 
Screenplay: Daniel Clowes, Terry Zwigoff
Based on the book: Ghost World by Daniel Clowes 
Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johannson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Stacey Travis
Nominated 1 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2002


Meet Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johannson), two young social outsiders who just got graduated from high school. As most social outsiders do, they hate society. Uhm no, they pretty much hate everything, like literally EVERYTHING. They hate high school popular girls, a stand-up comedian on tv, just everything they see or hear will be stuffs they mock and loathe about. Especially Enid.

Enid and Becca mocks everyone after graduation.

One day, after seeing an ad which a lonely middle-aged man called Seymour (Steve Buscemi) asks a woman he recently met to contact him, Enid and Becca decided to make a prank call pretending to be the woman and inviting him to meet her at a diner, and when he goes there, the two girls secretly watch and make fun of him. Discover that Enid feels sorry for him, she wants to see if he's okay by stalking him, then gradually becomes his friend after series of meetups and matchmaking to women around the neighborhood. 

Seymour and Enid shares thoughts.

At this point, the film starts focusing on Enid and Seymour's relationship, while Becca turns to be more mature person. She shares different things than she used to be which slowly tears them apart. Then out of the blue, Dana (Stacey Travis), the woman Seymour had written to in the personal ad, called him and wanted to meet him. Sure things change the whole Enid-Seymour's odd relationship that forces Enid to deal her confusions towards her immaturity.

Le Review 
Though I am an absolute sucker for teen and coming-of-age film, like Submarine, Donnie Darko, The Virgin Suicides, but it's not the same for Ghost World. The thing is, this film is cult, definitely. Most people will see this as an extremely bizarre yet pointless film. However, there are also some people -minority cult film fans- who loves this kinda film because it's non-mainstream, unique and out of the box. They apt consider it as a work of art for it's uniqueness.

In my opinion, I personally don't really like this film because it doesn't have a strong plot or a strong ending. For few people maybe, will see this "Well this is what makes Ghost World different", but unfortunately not for me. I do I love cult films but not in this way, I just don't see what's the point of this film and what message does it trying to deliver to the audience. And I hate the ending as well. I really do. It's just... pointless to me. 

Nevertheless, Ghost World still has charms. The young Scarlett Johannson looks very different in Ghost World than what we used to see her in blockbuster movies nowadays. Then a quick appearance of Josh, played by Brad Renfro, totally 'illuminate' this dark themed film.

Anyway, I will recommend Ghost World only for a moviefreak who will watch just any film, and for those hipsters who's into cult, weird and social awkwardness kinda film.

Final verdict for Ghost World: 6.9/10

Fyi: I just googled Brad Renfro. Apparently, he died from a heroin overdose 5 years ago. In commemoration of his death, Mark Foster of Foster the People who was his roommate, had written a song about his death called "Downtown." Ah so sad :(

Here's link of the song.

Argo (2012)

Sebenernya film terakhir yang saya tonton itu American Reunion (2012),  franchise main series keempatnya American Pie (1999), bukan spin-offnya lho ya, kaya band camp, naked mile dan beta house. It's a bit inappropriate kalo review pertama filmfavore b-movie yang begituan (yakali -_-), jadi judul film pertama yang kepikiran di benak saya adalah Argo (2012) which was an a-movie, award winning oscar film and duhhhh yes it was dang a joy to watch.

Argo's official poster.

Argo (2012)
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
Director: Ben Affleck
Screenplay: Chris Terrio
Based on the book: The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez; The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman
Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman  
Won 3 of 7 Oscar nominations including Best Picture

Jadi, sekedar tambahan info aja nih, latar belakang cerita ini dimulai tahun 1979 dimana terjadi revolusi Iran yang mengubah sistem pemerintahannya yang sebelumnya monarki menjadi republik Islam. Tokoh dibalik revolusi ini adalah Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, seorang pemimpin Islam yang berhasil menggulingkan rezim Mohammad Shah Reza Pahlavi, raja Iran terakhir. Shah Reza Pahlavi menjalankan pemerintahan yang brutal, korup, boros, dan menganut paham westernisasi, serta bekerja sama dengan Amerika Serikat yang bertentangan dengan identitas Muslim Syi'ah Iran. Ketika revolusi ini berlangsung, beliau dilindungi dan diasingkan oleh AS. Nah, dari sinilah asal muasal kemunculan rasa nasionalisme rakyat Iran yang anti banget sama Amerika Serikat, keliatan kan sampe sekarang. Apalagi dengan dipimpin oleh Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yang notabene tokoh konservatif, sangat loyal sama nilai-nilai revolusi Islam Iran ini.

Gara-gara revolusi ini, militan pengikut Khomeini yang anti banget sama AS, berbondong-bondong menyerbu kedutaan besar AS di Teheran. Mereka niatnya mau menyandera diplomat-diplomat AS, atau warga negara AS yang kepergok lagi di dubes apapun profesinya karena mereka dicurigai sebagai agen mata-mata AS. Sialnya, beberapa dari mereka bukannya disandera tapi malah kena public execution. Sadis, ngeri, kalo liat mayat mereka yang dieksekusi dan digantung pake crane kaya gini.

Creepy public execution.

Dari penyerbuan militan Iran di dubes AS, 6 diplomat AS berhasil melarikan diri dan sembunyi di dubes Kanada di Iran. Mereka jadi buronan paling dicari oleh militan Iran. Dengan keadaan kaya gini, Departemen Luar Negeri AS berusaha menemukan cara gimana keenam diplomat ini bisa keluar dari Iran dengan selamat. Nah, dikirimlah si Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) seorang agen CIA untuk membantu mereka. Kemudian Mendez mendapatkan ide setelah nonton film science fiction sama anaknya. Ia berencana mengembangkan skenario dimana ia sebagai produser film asal Kanada hendak membuat film science fiction palsu berjudul Argo dengan 6 diplomat AS tadi sebagai kru film yang lagi survey lapangan di Iran. Setibanya di Iran, Mendez mulai melatih 6 diplomat tadi untuk menyamar jadi kru produksi. Semua informasi diberikan mulai dari paspor, nama, dob, jabatan, sampe latar belakang palsu mereka, semata-mata untuk meyakinkan revolutionary guards yang jaga-jaga di bandara Iran kalo mereka bukan buronan yang dicari. Salah satu diplomat sempet ragu dan menolak skenario gila Mendez, tapi setelah diyakinkan oleh Mendez, ia bersedia menjalankan skenario ini.

Mendez's best line.

Sialnya nih di hari H keberangkatan, eh Mendez malah disuruh ngebatalin rencananya karena Presiden AS waktu itu, Jimmy Carter memerintahkan diadakannya operasi militer Amerika untuk menyelamatkan para sandera AS di Iran (padahal gagal lho operasinya). Mendez seketika panik, tapi beliau mencoba kalem dan keukeuh untuk menjalankan misinya ini. Apakah Mendez berhasil ato malah gagal, ketauan kedoknya dan malah kena public execution? Makanya pada nonton yak.

Le Review 
 Dari segi aktingnya Ben Affleck, kalo menurut saya sih biasa aja dan agak kaku. Mungkin karena faktor jambangnya ato emang sengaja dibikin gitu kali ya. Entah kenapa malah lebih oke aktingnya Scott McNairy as Joe Stafford--salah satu diplomat--mimik nervous sekaligus berusaha convincing juga dapet ketika ia berusaha meyakinkan tentara revolusioner dengan menceritakan cerita Argo lewat storyboards-nya.

Dari segi plot, pada awalnya agak ngebosenin, jujur saya sampe 2 atau 3 kali ngulang awal film karena kurang paham ceritanya ( dan sempet googling juga soal Ayatollah Khomeini :p). Di tengah film mulai kerasa tense-nya ketika mereka mengunjungi central market di Iran. Lama kelamaan makin tense dan mencapai klimaks ketika Mendez dan 6 diplomat ini diinterogasi oleh tentara revolusioner yang mencegah mereka boarding.

Overall, this is literally a great movie, totally worth-watching, not in an inspiring way, but in a quite thrilling way plus it has based-on-true-story, historical-ish yang ngebuka wawasan saya soal revolusi Islam Iran. Ben Affleck juga pinter merancang plotnya sedemikian rupa sampe bikin gregetan di scene terakhirnya. It doesn't take a lot of famous actors like Les Mis to make this film look great, it only takes a great plot and an interesting background story. 


Final verdict for Argo: 8/10.