The Batman [2022]

Director: Matt Reeves
Writer(s): Matt Reeves, Peter Craig
Genre: Superhero/Crime/Action/Thriller
Rating: General

About

Set in the early days of Batman's vigilantism, the Caped Crusader roams the streets at night, spreading fear and inflicting pain on the evil that has taken everything away from him. When Gotham's key political figures are methodically taken out by a serial killer, Batman's investigations will force him to confront the city's dark past - and perhaps also his own - before he could even hope to save its future.

The definitive Batman movie for me...

KL Special Force [2018]

Director: Syafiq Yusof
Writer: Syafiq Yusof
Genre: Action/Thriller
Rating: General

About

Badass Cop's attempt to foil a bank robbery goes south when the robbers come out guns blazing, and all the good guys get turned into Swiss cheese. Badass Cop is spared, however, under the condition that he becomes an informant for the gang. Then the story becomes confused over what it wants to be and I wish I was dead too.

Abang Long Fadil 2 [2017]

Director: Syafiq Yusof
Writer: Syafiq Yusof
Starring: Zizan Razak, Syamsul Yusof, AC Mizal, A. Galak, Wak Doyok, Tania Hudson, Shuib Sepahtu, Achey Bocey, Mas Khan
Genre: Action/Comedy
Rating: General
Verdict: "Syafiq Yusof's best work to date..."

About

Fadil now roam the streets alone. He tries to leave his gangster life behind, but at the same time at loss on how to start anew. After an acting gig that goes awry, he tries his hand at being a gigolo instead, but that leads to a series of misunderstandings that results in him being hunted by the police and gangsters alike.

6 Reasons Why Our TV Sucks

Been a long while, hasn't it? And to the two people out there who read this blog, I'm afraid this isn't a comeback or a sign of one. Why? I'm not sure if I've said it before, but prior to my "indefinite hiatus", I've been blogging for about... what, four years? Sometimes there's something new to talk about. But for the most part it's just the same ol' crap, because the industry keeps doing the, well, same ol' crap.

Good news is, in my absence, I've been quite the busy-bee and I've learned a few things along the way. So at least the things I say from now on comes from having been experienced them, rather than observations and "guesstimates".

And so having said all that, what does that mean for the topic at hand? Why do our TV suck?

I'm afraid this time around it doesn't matter which side of the screen you're on: it's exactly what you think. I'll save the saucier stuff for later.

Love, Supermoon [2015]

Director: Wan Hasliza Wan Zainuddin
Writer: Wan Hasliza Wan Zainuddin
Starring: Nadiya Nisaa', Farid Kamil, Rita Rudaini, Anne Ngasri, Zain Hamid, Azhar Sulaiman, Razak Ahmad
Genre: Romance/Comedy/Coming-of-Age
Rating: General
Verdict: "I love you too, Supermoon!"

About

When Razak (Farid Kamil) and Triz (Nadiya Nisaa') meet, they have no other intention than to accompany their best friends who are dating. Who could have known that they would end up circling each other, always linked via close friends throughout their college days until that fabled day when they all reach emotional maturity.

What to Expect
1. People*
2. A treat for those with sharper eyes and ears
3. Likable cast, memorable performances
4. Superb art direction

What NOT to Expect
1. Conventional, sitcom-my humour*
2. Convoluted plot

Should easily be in your list of 2015's best films - And not just local

Talking in Circles?

Yeap, I'm using that question mark right there in a tongue-in-cheek manner, mirroring how lazy tabloid journalist morons use 'em to create sensational headlines while at the same time covering their asses from potential backlash. Alright, screw that. Let's give it another shot.

Talking in Circles

Much better.

Anyway, I'm writing this as a some-sort-of-response to the statement released by the new FINAS chairperson; his take about why Malaysian films are selling like turdcakes:

Puncanya adalah skrip yang merapu-rapu.
It's all because the scripts are nonsensical.

- Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib
FINAS Chairperson

When you hear a statement like that from someone that high above in the organisation, it's worth asking if he's aware how things actually work in the industry. Even if he doesn't, it's no discredit to him and I won't say anything disparaging about it - a pilot's aim is to get the plane to the destination, but he/she can't always be expected to know how the baggage handlers are doing.

But, I will say this. Statements like that do reflect his understanding of the scene. For starters, it's not common practice for screenwriters to develop spec scripts and sell them to studios. Ten to fifteen years ago, I used to think that's how it works, but no. Writers are often hired hands and have little-to-no control over the content (unless they make it big and can afford to serve as producer and director as well).

What People Are Saying About DOG POUND

Nota [2015]

Director: Yasu Tanaka
Writer: Yasu Tanaka
Starring: Maya Karin, Hans Isaac, Ramli Hasan, Rin Izumi
Genre: Psychological thriller
Rating: General
Verdict: "Like watching sentient playing pieces on a board game, intimate and sprawling..."

About

Though still at the prime of their lives, Erin (Maya Karin) and Kamal (Hans Isaac) have failed all attempts to conceive, and it gets harder for them to cope with the fact with every passing year. Fearing that their days are finally numbered, Erin hopes to rekindle their relationship and manages to coax Kamal into going on a trip to Bako National Park, where Kamal proposed to her ten years ago. Will she succeed, or is it too late?

What to Expect
1. Atmospheric
2. A focused and scaled-down film
3. Gorgeous cinematography
4. The feel of Japanese cinema
5. Also feels somewhat dragged out
6. Shoehorned LPF-mandated ending

What NOT to Expect
1. A convoluted plot
2. Insecurity

If there's nothing better to see...

Terbaik is Yet to Come

Optimism.

That was what I felt when I stepped out of the theater. Terbaik Dari Langit had ended, and the talks had begun. I chuckled to myself, thinking that perhaps this is the second installment in their "feel-good movie about depressed people" trilogy (the first being KIL [2013]). Not that there's a need for it to be. To, you know, lend the film credibility or somethin'.

There was an air of celebration about the whole thing, as there should be. For the first time in a really long time, the audience could finally talk about the film and the film alone; we didn't have to talk about things that film-makers should already know but take for granted, i.e. technicalities, presentation worthy of cinema, and so on.

In other words, things that'd make you go, "Itu pun nak kena cakap keee?!"

Apa Benda yang Islamik-nya?

*Artikel ni pernah diterbitkan dalam Bahasa Inggeris

Sebagai seorang Muslim jugak, mungkin ada antara korang ingat aku suka dengan trend filem dengan drama TV yang katanya Islamik sangat tu. Walaupun tak follow sangat, tapi familiar jugak dengan filem macam 99 Kali Rindu; filem-filem seram yang kononnya ada elemen Islamik; dan lagi satu, drama bersiri Tanah Kubur.

Urut dahi aku dibuatnya bila tengok semua tu. Lepas tu bila cuba cari apa yang Islamik sangat dengan 99 Kali Rindu ni semua, terus migraine. Sikit punya panjang aku fikir, last-last sampai jalan mati. Senang cakap, aku tak nampak apa yang Islamiknya, dan dalam artikel ni aku akan cuba bahas 5 sebab kenapa. Nak buat 99 sebab, tak larat.

Mungkin korang ada pandangan dari sudut lain yang aku tak nampak sekarang ni. Habis baca nanti, jemput share pandangan kat bawah nanti.