Reviews of the recent stuffs I've seen on screen. The first two I watched in the recent San Francisco International Film Festival
1. Opera Jawa (directed by Garin Nugroho)
Once in a while comes a film that makes you think you're watching not just a film, but a piece of art. Not an art film, but a real piece of art. Opera Jawa is one such film. It's not a surprise to see Garin Nugroho's name on it, considering he's perhaps the closest thing Indonesian cinema ever have to an auteur.
Opera Jawa is essentially a loose retelling of the famous epic story Ramayana set in a modern time java village, focusing on the love triangle between the "Rama", "Sita" and "Rahwana" characters. The whole film is a musical done in Traditional Javanese dance and singing (hence the title, literally: Javanese Opera). There's almost no dialogue, in fact, the language is hardly Indonesian and mostly Javanese. This suits me just fine because this is the kind of musical that I like, where they create a world where it's believable to see people singing and dancing to each other. I have never watched Javanese dance before and words fail me to describe how beautiful the whole dance and songs in the films are. You have to watch it to really appreciate it. If there's any complain I have it's that the film feels too long. Javanese Dance is a beautiful art, but it's also quite slow and watching the whole thing in almost 2 hours really taxed my patience. That's what prevented me from giving this movie a perfect score. Otherwise, if you are a Javanese Art enthusiast or fanatic, you will see the masterpiece for what it truly is.
Score: 4 out of 5
There was Q&A after the screening with actor Eko Suprianto in attendance. According to him, this movie has been screened only once in Indonesia. I don't know why, but this is a real travesty.
2. Singapore Dreaming (directed by Colin Goh and Woo Yen Yen)
Singapore Dreaming is a hard film to watch and review. Not because it's bad, mind you, but because I really (and painfully) identify with what the characters in the film is going through. I'm not singaporean, although I lived and studied for 4 years there. But anyone who is part of a dysfunctional chinese family, has ever lived with weight of expectations on you, and has ever lived in singapore should definitely be able to identify with this film.
This film is both a heavy drama and dark comedy that reflects on the singaporeans' inherent (and somewhat "no choice") obsession with material wealth and elitism through the story of a singaporean family who won a lottery and its aftermath. It's heavier on the drama than on the comedy. The subtlety of this film reminds me of 2006 oscar winner Crash (definitely not afraid to use the sledgehammer) - just imagine if Crash is about race relations in america, Singapore Dreaming is about Singaporeans worst nightmare, or something like that. Thankfully, directors Colin Goh and Woo Yen Yen don't sugar coat their story, unlike fellow countryman Jack Neo.
I'm sorry if I can't really do a proper review of this film, feel free to talk to me about it when you have watched it.
Score: 3.5 out of 5
PS: I was very shocked and glad when director Colin Goh was present for post-screeening Q&A. He created the Singapore satirical website www.talkingcock.com and it used to fill me with a lot of laughter every week. It was definitely a real treat to see him in person, especially when you least expect it.
An interesting tidbit that pretty much tells you something about Singapore government: The movie is mostly in Hokkien and Singlish. When Colin previewed the film to the censors/film commission (forgot which one), they asked Colin if he can show the film in Mandarin in Singapore but he can show it in its original language anywhere else. Colin said his "brain just imploded right there". Eventually it was shown in its original language in Singapore, BUT, the first trailer for the film was pulled out because it feature some hokkien dialogue... hmmm.
3. Fracture (directed by Gregory Hoblit)
Hannibal Lecter goes to court, where he faces off with a talented but cocky prosecutor played by Ryan Gosling. The prosecutor thought he had the case in his hand but anybody else who has seen Anthony Hopkins in any of his Hannibal Lecter-like characters know that he is dangerously smart. When the case goes to trial, both go on a game of cat and mouse to outsmart each other.
One thing that strikes me is the cinematography, Hollywood doesn't make films like this anymore: a movie in which city of LA is shot in a noirish, glamorous, beautiful style where the sky is clear of pollution and the sunrise is so beautiful as if it's a very nice luxurious place to live in (unlike the urban LA in Training Day, Crash or Collateral). Cinematography aside, Hollywood also doesn't make a reasonably smart cat and mouse thriller that's actually engaging like this anymore. The game of upmanship between Hannibal Lecter and the cocky prosecutor itself is fun to watch, but truth is the Hannibal Lecter character here isn't really very smart, he's just surrounded by stupid people and predictable situations that he could take advantage of. Screenwriters could have tried harder. However, it's really quite forgivable since it's still an enjoyable game of cat and mouse and a chance to see another Anthony Hopkins' Lecter-like performance and even if the script isn't smart, at least it's got its characters right and consistent (why does the cocky prosecutor drive the old brown bmw?). After all, Hollywood doesn't make movies like this anymore.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
4. In The Land of Women (directed by Jon Kasdan)
Check this out: so we have Seth Cohen from The O.C, except he's called Carter Webb and he's a screenwriter. Whatever. But anyway, the Seth Cohen guy broke up with his girlfriend who happens to be this famous actress with a sexy european accent. So what does he do? Exactly what every screenwriter who looks like Seth Cohen from The O.C who had just broken up with a famous actress with a sexy european accent would do: go to Michigan to take care of his dying grandmother (well, the grandmother who thinks she is dying). Along the way, he meets two "women" in his neighbors: an unhappy housewife (Meg Ryan) and her teenage daughter with the regular teenage issues (Kirsten Stewart). along the way, their life is supposedly changed by their interaction with each other. Could you see where this is going?
Despite of the poster and the synopsis, this is not a love story between the Seth Cohen and any of the "women". In fact, there's hardly any romance that matters in the movie. In fact, there's almost nothing going on at all in the movie. It's just about Seth Cohen talking about life's issues with the women and bonding with them. There's an occasional hint of developing romance but nothing ever materializes. But that's not really the point, it's just about how the life of these 3 characters and through their conversations and reflections on their life, they change. Wow, if that's your type of movie, you'll probably love it.
There's nothing wrong with a movie in which nothing happens and it's just about people talking and sharing about their life. But ITLOW's (the 'cool' acronym for the movie - check out www.myspace.com/itlow - how cool) characters and their life situations/problems are either not really interesting or in the filmmaker's attempt to be low key, couldn't become interesting. Plus, the actors (except one) couldn't really help much: Adam Brody acts like he's still Seth Cohen from The O.C. Meg Ryan is mixed in this serious role, sometimes she's effective and sometimes she just goes into her typical rom-com mode. If there's a shining light in this movie, it's Kirsten Stewart whose performance was really good and very convincing, her character feels like a real teenage girl with a lot of vulnerability and confusion. If there's one reason to watch this movie, Kirsten is. She was in Panic Room and earlier this year, The Messengers. She got much talent and potential, unlike the movie which is ultimately just fluffy and inconsequential.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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