Film I've Watched

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While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Have you ever fallen in love with somebody you haven’t even talked to?
— Lucy

Have you ever felt like the loneliest and the most loveless human in this world?. Then try watching this weird film. Because it will warm and lift you up a bit with its nonsense yet entertaining story.

This is easily become my number one film even though it is far from being perfect, real, or gorgeous in cinematic. In other hand this film is very foolish and giving you false hope for free with how the female protagonist life is saved. But even if it was free false hope I’d still buy it, no doubt!. Cause hey? who doesn’t like daydreaming that someone will save your pathetic life exactly just like in the movie?

Premise:

You will see this lonely girl Lucy (played by Sandra Bullock) who doesn’t have family nor many friends also the sole and perfect candidate to work as a ticket girl in train station during holidays, including Christmas. She always watching (or perhaps stalking) over this prince-charming-with-puppy-eyed-and-sleek-clothes guy who happens always going to work by train everyday. And guess who is there in a train station during Christmas alone while bringing a suitcase? well, it is your prince charming Bullock. But chill.. cause he ain’t alone. Introduce you just the worst thieves ever in Hollywood history, The Scarf Thieves (and then push their own victim to the train rail ) !!

Bullock is not going to do nothing like screaming and watching. Instead, she jump off to the rail and try to wake him up because of course he get fainted. Then, smelling how good his smell is in a very particular position before finally panicked because there is a train coming at her. With one pull she manages to save him and her self alive just to bring herself to another weird situation in hospital such as, how his awkward and very weird family thought her as his secret fiancee… Nothing better than that right?.

A one perfect day to get a pack of family and a handsome fiance…or lover?

Facts:

The script for this movie at first had Bullock’s character as a man and the prince charming as a woman. With all those scenes that I have depicted for you before, Thank God they reversed the role because it just become more weird than it has been.

Loves:

Love how I get this lonely character which is I guess is very real (well, look at me) in a very doesn’t make sense situation. But damn I like it. If you don’t get what I mean than just picturing someone who knows all those dark and gritty real story of Disney Princess yet still love the Disney Princess Films. I know it is far from real but that is what makes me adore it.

Don’t forget all those not so romantic scene that you will cherish for all your life. I mean bring back the Leaning things!!!

Hates:

Nothing. Because I am being biased.

So for you who wants leveled up your loneliest time of your life … This is just the right movie.

*once again being biased

Thumbs up!

JOKER VS PARASITE ?

I know it is quite a provocative title for some readers ( if I have one ) and , maybe, out-dated because Oscars was 2 months ago. But! I have nothing to write for now and only this idea that pop out of my mind (and the fact that recent Oscar’s official video recommendation showed up in my recommendation). So, here we go, my perspective on watching both movies and which one I think is the best?.

Joker part:

Disclaimer 1 !! First, I have to tell you my cruciatingly long back story behind my perspective on Joker.

Disclaimer 2 !! And yes please forgive me because I am just a girl who love to watch movies. I have never read any superhero’s comic.

Long time ago when my ex-boyfriend ask me “which superhero you like the most?” , I was like working my brain so hard to recall any superhero that I know. After that long seconds I realized that I know quiet a lot from Marvel but I don’t find those movies memorable enough for me to remember all those titular character easily. Entertaining but doesn’t make me want to revisit it again (because if I loved a movie, I would revisit it for hundred times). But that doesn’t mean that I hate it. So, I told him “Hmm… I don’t think that I like superhero movies” and his response just “for real??”.

I was quite sure about that feeling until months later when I was searching for the best movies list on imdb and Batman: The Dark Knight (2008) listed there ( I know, I know. Batman is from a whole different universe). I said to myself “Wow, how good could this (superhero-themed) movie be?”. So, I decided to throw away any previous prejudice about superhero movie and start to watch it. Because I thought if imdb say so, then it was an obligation for me to check the movie first. I sat watching this 2008, PG-13, 2 hours and 32 minutes Action-Crime-Drama film and I was shocked to the core. I never thought that I would love a superhero movie!. I re-watched this movie again and again and again and again…. and a hundreth (is it a real word?) again.

This movie makes me questioning my self-being. Do I love superhero movie? Do I not?. Do I love superhero from DC more than Marvel or do I not?. Does my Batman is the answer for my ex-boyfriend question or doesn’t?. SO this long journey continues. I begin to watch other 2 Batman movies from The Dark Knight Trilogy by Christopher Nolan to find the truth. Sadly the answer is I only love the second one. Does it mean Batman isn’t my favourite superhero?. Then, I proceed my journey by making a hypothesis. What if I love this movie so much not solely because of Batman? What if the Main protagonist’s character become stronger and more relatable in this particular movie because of the antagonist?. Joker.

Joker’s character in Batman: the Dark Knight was prominent. Other than very best portrayal from Heath Ledger, Joker is just different from any other villain from any superheroes Universe (atleast from this movie. Because I never read comics). Alfred himself explain it better to Bruce Wayne.

“Because some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just wanna watch the world burn.”
Alfred Pennyworth

Ttsssss…..my finger put out a fire on my ass.

That particular quotes really set Joker’s idea for me. But I never read its comic so I won’t say that how Joker should be to everybody. But, that idea of Joker was definitely stay with me.

Just like everybody else I was mad about Joker. Unfortunately, I have never watched Suicide Squad and I don’t think I will (because of its review). So I better paraphrase it again, just like everybody else (maybe?) I was mad about Batman: The Dark Knight’s Joker.

Like everybody else, I was mad and hungry for more Joker story. Until, the news of Todd Phillip going to direct Joker Movie and its very first raw trailer popped out on internet. Everyone is crazy about that, including myself. Joaquin Phoenix’s awkward and painful smile for 37 seconds and accompanied by Laughing by The Guess Who was just Iconic. Sickening. (Yes, The Jeffree Star in me just crawling out). I remember I couldn’t wait for what was coming. Very excited by what story development the new movie will show us.

Untill the day I watched the movie.

I won’t say that was bad. But, after watching the movie I don’t feel as hype as how other people feel and I also didn’t feel satisfied. To be honest I was quite bored. It doesn’t make me feel as if I am on the edge of my chair. I feel like I know how this version of Joker thinks. While, when I watched Joker from The Dark Knight I just kept being surprised by his choice and no logical explanation behind his act. I Thought Joaquin was very impressive, don’t get me wrong. He deserves the Oscar. My problem is I watched the very different Joker from what I had in mind (opinion that was shaped by The Dark Knight).

My love for Joker in The Dark Knight doesn’t mean I feel sympathy or empathy with him in the movie. It doesn’t make you cheer on him during the movie. I love how crazy, evil and mad his character is and how he keeps threaten to unlock the inner darkness of any protagonist in the movie. Yet, his dark, twisted and mysterious mind and personality still brings out the true color of Gotham citizen in a good way.

Here in Todd Phillip’s Joker, the story is design to build up our empathy towards him and finally make us cheer him in the end ( or even start from the middle) of the movie. And that felt weird for me. The last scene really adds up for me. It makes him (Joker) as the lower class’ HERO. Or symbol. Felt like Robin Hood situation ( Rich are bad, Poor are discriminated). While I always think that Joker is just.. the real villain. Villian who choose to be alone, never sided on anyone except when he has his own goal, and always do something because some unconventional reasons .

But, maybe it was wrong for me to compare these 2 different Joker movie.

Perhaps, it is wrong for me to compare 2 different phase of Joker. The phase of he in his madness and the phase of the beginning of his madness.

Or maybe.. Joker just meant to be mysterious for the rest of the time in order for me to keep feeling his dark attractions.

Perhaps this character just meant to have no origin story in order to keep his Joker’s core alive. Which is his plain deep and mysterious madness.

END

SO YOU TELL ME THIS LONG STORY BUT DOESN’T EXPLAIN YOUR ANALYSIS BETWEEN JOKER VS PARASITE????

Papa, Mama, Brother, Sister, MR and Missus don’t worry, don’t worry. Because this piece of mind will be divided into 2 articles.

Lars and The Real Girl (2007)

“Sometimes I get so lonely I forget what day it is and how to spell my name.”

-Dr. Dagmar

Finally we are moving on from lonely woman to lonely man narrative. Sad but it is the truth. I have this weird connection to movies where its characters portray the unpleasant, uncomfortable, & unwanted kind of feelings. Feelings that we always avoid and hide inside a tupperware, saved in the deepest part of refrigerator, untouched until I don’t know when. Well I guess, to know someone out there able to make such story or character with those dark emotions means I am not alone. I am not the only one knowing this kind of feeling. I know.. I know.. it is a very depressing first paragraph you will ever read in your life. But, come one who doesn’t like to drowning him/herself in this kind of emotions once awhile ?? for some kind of weird pleasure..

Yes??

Right??

Anyone??

*please, I need some validation here.

Anyway, let me present you Lars and The Real Girl from 2007. The year when the final Harry Potter Book is published, Tobey is still Spiderman, 300 was played (not knowing its scene will be the plethora source of memes), and the first time Iphone was unveiled! (I don’t use Iphone fyi). It got nothing to do with the movie at all, but I just want to remind you (because I’m a Ms. boast-a-lot).

This drama-comedy film, directed by Craig Gillespie (with I, Tonya as his most recent movie), is rated 7.3/10 by imdb. I have this urge to add 0.7 because Bianca deserves it (and simply because I don’t like weird number).

Premise:

Lars Lindstrom (what a name), played by chubbier-version of Ryan Gosling, is an extremely shy and reserve man who lives in this small town of Wisconsin. He lives with his brother, Gus (Paul Schneider), and his wife, Karin (Emily Mortimer). Well, actually it is more like a neighbor thing than live under the same roof, because while Gus and his wife live in Lindstrom’s residence, Gus is living in their garage. But please do not blame the new married couple!. Because from the first scene you will see how perseveres Karin is to make sure that Lars is involved in their life. She invites him to have breakfast or dinner together in her house but Lars’ answer is always no. While, Karin is super concern of how secluded Lars’ life is, Gus otherwise is kind of in a denial state (and that is what makes me love this film, I’ll talk about it later).

So, you ask me how secluded Lars’ life is?. First, from the first few scenes we could see his life is only revolves around his garage, church, and his work (hmm..sounds familiar). Second, he is a very polite young man but he does hold back during almost conversations and avoid the more intimate one . Third, no one know how does he feel , even his own family. And fourth, he does looking for his childhood little blanket which was made by his deceased mom (who was dead during Lars’ delivery). Those are little clues that makes us and especially Karin concern about him. But, thanks to his friend (what a great wing man or matchmaker), Lars’ find the love of his life via internet, Bianca (wheelchair-mobile missionary of Brazilian and Danish decent). I mean almost everyday someone in this world find their woman/man of their life from internet right? but, not everyone find it in anatomically correct sex doll like Lars does. Yass.. (Jonathan said)

Facts:

This movie surely is so good that it got Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay (sadly lost to the one who writes Juno. Damn).

Obviously this has one of the bizarre kiss scene ever but this is definitely not the last one for Ryan Gosling to kiss a replica (oops… if you get what I mean).

Love:

This story has so many layers. It hits you about mental health, loneliness, creepiness from every characters there. Try not to be corny or anything but I finally understood of (f*** I cant’t remember the exact sentences) someone’s (I believe it is Carl Jung) quotes which basically mean there is no one who doesn’t suffer from (as we said) mental illness, after I finished this movie. In the end, all of those ‘illness’ is just part of ourselves. Since I do believe in that, I am very grateful that the story doesn’t make Lars situation black-and-white. The story makes it real by hinting some struggles that the others have too and showing that what Lars have is just process in his life.

It also depicts of how other response in this kind of situation. Gus, for example, just being denial at first and it is very understandable response also very known as part in 5 stages of grief. So it add another realness and depth to the movie.

Several scenes when Lars introduces his ‘girlfriend’ are definitely painful scenes to watch. You just can’t help it not to cover your face (or even pause the movie). So be prepare the light-hearted one, for you to deal with scenes like that. But, once you pass the introduction scenes everything is just beautiful.

I dare say this movie is a risk taker. Where everything could just go wrong in so many ways. But with great script, the director who can deliver it in the best way, and great casts (shout out to Nancy Oliver & Craig), well no probs. All I can say is the script is just gorgeous that I want to sleep on it as my pillow. But, please not with Bianca (anyway she is just gorgeous and what every girl should be in community)

Hate:

I just can’t find a single thing that I don’t like from this movie. I don’t know if it is because I am biased as always or I am just simply not experience in movie reviewing (or because I am already too in love with everything in it). *Please forgive this newbie reviewer

There is nothing I could say better to describe the feelings while watching this movie. Watching this film is simply one of the most weirdly beautiful moment for me. And I hope for you too. Because it just hits me hard personally. So I hope it also does to you.

Respect is the word I can learn from this movie (you should watch the movie first to understand what I mean) and also what I can give back to this movie. Respect everyone you know or you have not know yet, younger or older, wiser or not, healthy or in need of help, and even human or not human.

Above all respect Bianca!

Thumbs Up!

Arrival (2016)

“Despite knowing the journey… and where it leads… I embrace it… and I welcome every moment of it.”

-Louise Banks

Moving on from my first ever film review of non-sense kind of creepy but heartwarming love story of While You Were Sleeping (1995) to something quite similar but is more thrilling (since its genre is drama/mystery), Arrival (2016) directed by Denis Villeneuve with 7.9/10 rating from imdb.

So, why is it quite similar (for me)?. Because, I think, both movies start with the depiction of how the main protagonist are living their life. Which is basically seems very lonely and lack of warmth. Lucy’s loneliness from WYWS is shown from the scene where the other co-worker begging her to fill in his shift during Christmas with a bunch of reasons while his only reasons is because she got no one to spend Christmas with (except her cat). While our protagonist in Arrival , Linguistic Professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams), is depicted very lonely and almost gives you the impression of emptiness through the montages at the beginning of the movie. It is not verbally shown as in Lucy’s scene, but you can almost feel the loneliness, emptiness, and kind of hopelessness feeling in the air.

But why did I compare both movies?. Well, I had no intention at all to compare it. I just tried to start my second post with the previous post because I thought it will be cool (actually so you would visit that post too).

Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) along when I was writing the previous paragraph, I found that I have this tendency to watch films with lonely female theme…. Awkward to acknowledged and admitted that but let’s move on.

Premise:

The movie starts, as I said before, with montages of her and her daughter from the moment she was born until she died from some unrevealed disease. It goes on with a scene where she feels indifference, while preparing her class, towards threatening situation around her. Even after the whole class in her university get dismissed then she get back home and with all those live report on TV of how world is getting chaotic , she is somehow still feel indifferent to it. When I watch this scene I empathized with her in a way that as if someone got some very big personal concern, sadness, or hopelessness. It is that big that make her indifference to external threats even if it is the probability of alien invasion.

Then the journey begins when Louise is recruited by USA government to find out what is the purpose of the alien arrival to earth, with help from Physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).

Facts:

This film is an adapted screenplay from a short story of ‘Story Of Your Life’. Written by science fiction writer, Ted Chiang. I watched the movie first and after I knew there is the short story, I immediately read it. And I think the movie did justice for the short story. So there is no problem if you prefer to read the book first then the movie or vice versa.

Love:

It has everything. Drama, mystery of the aliens’ purpose, science of lingusitic, social issues (such as unwillingness of every country to work together, the nature of suspecting etc), breathtaking pictures, great soundtrack and of course great story and story telling. Thumbs up for the director Denis Villeneuve, Eric Heisserer as screenwriter, & Johann Johannsson as soundtrack composer ( I hope I am not messing up with those dude’s names)

I can guarantee that you will missing the feeling of watching it for the first time. But then every time you re-watch it you’ll find so many details that become make sense then (or is it just me that is not quick witted).

Also you’ll definitely listen over and over to Max Richter’s ‘On Nature of Daylight’ as I do.

Hate:

The only problem that bothering me is how little the contribution of other scientist from other fields here is depicted. Because in real life of course this situation need as many as contributions from so many science fields. Instead, the story mainly focus on linguistic side (as our main protagonist is expert in linguistic) and a very little physics because the male protagonist is physicist.

This movie even with its flaw is still definitely, to my perspective, surpass the need of what drama, mystery and science fiction movie has to be. One of the movie that close to my heart due to its ability to radiate the feeling and make me empathize with the main character.

Definitely a movie that will make you awed and wowed (always being biased, but that rhyme!).

Thumbs up!

Intro

INFP who is very dominant in Introvert & Feeling area. Which are quite a good trait for someone who loves watching, since I get all the time to watch ( by locking myself in my room ) and have many tools ( of course film and stuff ) to play with my feelings.

Films, Series (from TV to Web), Short Film, or even some great and cinematic youtube video is all I crave. Growing up watching moving pictures from India, Taiwan, Colombia to Turkey is definitely my childhood experience that has been fueled my hungry to great (or even not so great) art from every parts of the world.

Welcome to my break time-out of college project in which I will post all the movies I’ve watched and review it a bit with my limited knowledge (but actually just trying to force you all to watch my gems with my biased perspective).

So, good luck for everyone who stumbled upon this site.

Thumbs Up! (because I literally don’t know how to close an introduction).