Life of Pi (2012), the Movie

December 11, 2012

Some people say, write it when it’s (still) hot.

I am here, trying to do it. But due to the lack of vocabulary-mastery, I’m sorry if this review does not do any justice towards the film’s real value.

Life of Pi (2012)

Life of Pi (2012)

Last Monday, I went to movie theater to watch Life of Pi (2012). It’s a 3D film, so I had to put extra 3D glasses to maximise the visual effect. Plus, it was my first 3D film. Don’t hate. There should be first for everything, and I’m glad I picked this film to begin my 3D film-journey.

This film is visualised based on Yann Martel’s book, with the same title “Life of Pi”. I have read the book, but it was years ago. I bought the book in 2009, I think. And I love it. It has two point of views in building whole stories: from Pi’s point of view himself, and from Yann Martel as the author/writer. The conversations are witty; some funny, even. But unfortunately, I’ve already forgotten most of the story details–that’s why I choose to review the film here, aside of the book.

***SPOLER ALERT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***

This is quite embarrassing but I cried most of the time while watching this film.

Some scenes are just too emotional. Like the moment when Pi Patel persistently trying to convince the whole member of his school that people should call him “Pi” instead of “Piscine”. He stated how he hated being called “Piscine”, cause it sounds like “Pissing”, or “peeing”. Makes any kids uncomfortable when people make fun of their names. I wanted to yell when Pi Patel tried to introduce his name by mentioning all the Pi digits during math class. He spent boards and boards to write the numbers of Pi.

Because this film tells about the journey of a young man in the sea with animals, it shows many scenes involving animals. You know what? It IS amazing. Since it’s 3D film, the film tries to visualise the life in the zoo, forest, the sea, the sky. I could not stop “Oooohhhh” and “aaahhhhh”-ing when the film showed me the marvelous creatures of the sea, or the view of the deep Pacific Ocean. I can not stop wondering why would people laugh during some scenes, like when the tiger (Richard Parker) was hungry, or when Pi escaped from sinking ship with 3 animals and the animals were fighting to settle their territory/emotions. It was sad, okay. It was not funny. But again, for each is their own, and we have different perspectives toward the things we witness, so I guess I can tolerate that. A bit.

You know what else makes me teary and having goosebumps?

The soundtrack(s).

My mind suddenly wandered to India when the film was starting. Soothing, relaxing tune to start the viewers’ imaginations. The opening soundtrack was too beautiful for words. That was just perfect. While we were given scenes of the life in the zoo, we heard soundtrack which made us think of India. So beautiful. (By the way, as I’m typing this post, I keep listening to Life of Pi’s opening soundtrack. Goosebumps again. I feel like crying hahahahah).

My friend said that Pi’s journey in Pacific Ocean was not covered justly, or long enough. I kind of agree with him but keeping the film’s duration to cover whole stories of the book seems hard. Because every bits in pieces in the story is important, so the director must have the eye for picking the right and perfect story to come up with.

Life of Pi claims that Pi Patel’s story is the kind of story which will make you believe in God. The story uses philosophical approach by raising the question like “Who is God”, “Does he exist”, “should we believe in God/religion”. Some horrible things were told to happen here, so the search of God was begun. Will you still believe in Him, even after all of these bad things? Will you hold on your religious values, even when people say it’s weird or irrational?

Life of Pi (as both book and film) offers so many lessons about bravery, faith, and the love to nature/animals/other creatures. Instead of taking animals as means of entertainment, we should take them also as God’s creature. Respecting them.

I can’t tell anymore, I guess. Can’t even get myself to move on after watching such beautiful film. I might watch this film again, so beautiful. If you haven’t watched this film, you should! I give this film 4.5 of 5 stars, because of its beauty, the emotional stories it carries, the lessons of faith-bravery-and love, and of course for its beautiful soundtrack.

I hope you enjoy reading my review, I welcome any feedbacks/suggestions/inputs.

Thank you 🙂

– Puspa

P.S.: for further enjoyment, you may want to listen to this, esp. Pi’s lullaby. You’re welcome.

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Posted in films | 3 Comments »

Jakarta, The Cabin In The Woods (2011), and some other random things: a long post

September 17, 2012

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, beloved readers of nucleardebris.

It’s been a month since my last post, and I’m quite unsure if any of you anxiously waits for my next post. Hashtag: miss nobody.

I have decided that today I’m going to blog my previous journey to Jakarta, Indonesians’ version of City Upon a Hill, the Promised Land, whatever. I will also blog about my film review, The Cabin In The Woods (2011), and some jotted thoughts about life in Jakarta.

Last September 6th I went to Jakarta to visit some friends. There were nothing to see there actually, except malls. Shopping centres, designers’ stores (I thought I was really excited about this but not really, no), all kinds of foods, and traffic(!!!).  Can’t say anything new about Jakarta. Most Indonesians will directly picture extremely humid-hot city, lots of traffic, expensive living, long walks and waiting, tall buildings and extreme life. I was too exhausted to do mall-sightseeing. Surprisingly, I got sick of malls and malls’ foods. I didn’t even care of how I looked like! (this is something quite new about me, since I always care about how I look) Gulped and yelped when I saw Zara store at Plaza Senayan cause I’ve been wanting a good, decent blazer but my inner strength told me not to step in. So I just walked, (not) so strong and frugal. Then I watched The Cabin In The Woods (2011) with some friends, ate Burger King (which I personally say it’s overrated), and went to Plaza Semanggi’s sky dining. And home. And ate some more foods. And snacked some more. And slept. My life is awesome cause it contains endless interactions with foods. K.

If “shocking” is strong enough to describe something wow but rather in negative way, I’ll give it to Jakarta. Life in Jakarta consists of wasting money and wasting some more. I might need to learn economics 101 to understand how Jakartans live their life by paying more than people who live in other cities. Everything is more expensive in Jakarta. People pay much for foods, transportation, lifestyle. The only means of entertainment they have is shopping centres. High-paced life, high competition, high demands. Etcetera. Etcetera. Life in Jakarta is quite stressful… But I saw many cute guys there, so….. 

Now Cabin In The Woods (2011).

 

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The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

I saw some people’s I follow on twitter talked about this film in such excitement, so I decided to watch it with my friends. Up until now I don’t know how do I feel toward this film. I’m torn between like and hate. So I might just go with 3 stars out of 5 for this film.

  • I like the idea of this film

When I googled spoilers (YES I LOVE SPOILERS) for this film, it says that its genre is comedy-horror? Couldn’t imagine what comedy-horror was like, so I just pictured Scary Movies just to prepare myself from expecting too much of this film. If you haven’t watched The Cabin In The Woods (2011) and hating spoilers, I’m sorry cause I will just type whatever crosses my mind about the film. Don’t worry though, I might have the memory of a squirrel so I won’t describe the film in details.
For me, this film is like The Village (2004) meets Scary Movies. It delivers urban legend/mythological story in modern way. I was kind of thinking this would be like all Scream trilogy with some witty jokes in it, but it’s not. It tells about the life of 5 different people: 3 guys, 2 girls, having a vacation in an old cabin inside a forest. There were some half-porn scenes (O God please forgive me cause I always talk about porn in my reviews), but it’s nothing actually; it’s added to complete the story, that’s all.  —(OKAY I AM FREAKING OUT CAUSE I’M HEARING NOISES AND IT’S 2 AM)— *clears throat* Ahem. So, okay, I like the idea of this film because it’s more than just a mere thriller/horror film. It adds something new, like combining classic tale of human sacrifices in modern concept: human puppeteering. There was some organization who works to ‘provide’ humans’ lives to feed the ancient gods. This organization used modern method, choosing their group of victims selectively. The group must consist 5 kind of people: The Whore, The Athlete, The Scholar, The Fool, and The Virgin. These people’s bloods or soul or whatever from them, must be sacrificed to the ancient gods to stop the gods from destroying world and life. I can’t go into details cause I already forget the story lines, but over all it’s quite entertaining. Some lines are funny, but not that funny. Fran Kranz is funny, and Chris Hemsworth is hot as the core of the sun. Ugh.

  • I hate the ending

When I saw the ending I just wanted to shout “I don’t get it” loudly and shuddered. It was too “meh”, I just can’t describe how “meh” it was.

***

I bought Virginia Woolf’s The Waves! Can’t wait to read it (after finishing my long list of reading). And, by the way, I have sudden urge of buying Doc Martens boots; or any kinds of boots, actually. What do you think? Is it comfortable to walk in boots in such hot-weathered place like Indonesia?

Sorry for ending this post in such un-interesting way. Right now I am hungry but I have no guts in getting out of my room, plus I’m quite sleepy.

Thank you for putting up with me + reading my posts. Leave your comments, say hi to me, or whatever you want to do on comment sections.

Have a great day ahead of you!

– Puspa

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Film Review: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

August 8, 2012

Sigh.

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Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I know I’m a bit late for almost everything, esp popular culture products. And I’m not the kind of person who is easily swept away by trends and popular excitement; but here I am, committing myself to write some pieces of my thoughts about The Dark Knight Rises (TDKR).

I watched it this afternoon with some friends, and I. Love. It. I love it more than I should, as matter of fact. Before going to a somewhat thorough reviews, let me reminisce the previous sequel, The Dark Knight (2008). To be honest I just watched The Dark Knight (2008) a week ago, because I couldn’t stop thinking why this film got high rate on rottentomatoes and some people regard it as a great, yet dark and mysterious film. Since I watched in on my laptop, it took me more than its normal viewing duration (2.5 hours) to finish the film. Hell, it took me 5 hours-ish. In my honest opinion, it was exhausting to watch The Dark Knight (2008). Because yes, it’s dark, and it brings criminality and superhero story to the next level. The Joker (played by beloved Heath Ledger), as Gotham City’s craziest villain, tried to prove that there was no such thing as humanity. He tried changing the city’s future hero, Harvey Dent, to be as vengeful as him. This is shown when Joker used Gotham as his playground, by killing innocent people and some important figures as if they were just toys. And Batman, was never be the main target. Joker did not intend to kill Batman, cause Batman was his playmate. So much for the philosophy of Gotham’s great criminal. In my opinion the Dark Knight (2008) was great, but it’s not my taste. Too gloom and too philosophical, if I may say, for myself.

I’d like to warn you, that the next paragraphs will contain spoilers. So if you hate spoilers and yo haven’t watched TDKR, you can stop here and save your time.

I only go to theaters to watch action films. I rarely watch drama cause I tend to cry a lot, and it’s not so pretty to cry a lot in theaters. TDKR (2012) is action-fantasy film but I found myself crying during some scenes. Mostly, when Alfred told Wayne how he loved Wayne and tried to save him as best as he could. Plus, some scenes where Blake (Joseph-Gordon Levitt), showed his pure kindness in saving people, even though he’s being called as a “hot head”. I cried a lot, swore a lot, screamed a lot cause I’m expressive like that. And thank God, my friends didn’t care much of what I did cause I’m sure they felt it too. To say that watching this film is not exhausting is a lie. Cause it was exhausting as well, but in a good way. It combines action and drama in equal portion so I don’t mind at all. You’ll find yourself live the story and feel the emotions. In some moments I felt like watching Lord of The Rings, esp during the final scenes where the good met the evil and collided. It reminds me to the battle of Rohan.

Christopher Nolan did a great job in giving a birth to this film. He did not give easy way out for the problems exist in the film, like when the plot went down suddenly there were Robin, Batgirl, etc. No. Nolan did not let his film’s viewers to sit back and relax. The film begins with a chilling idea that Gotham mourned the death of Harvey Dent, and there was some bad guys plus Bane, dealing with a nuclear-physicist. For me it wasn’t much of a thrill. Bit by bit the film introduced me with some characters. Then, the plot developed. It wasn’t just for a stolen pearl necklace (stolen by Anne Hathaway the Cat Woman), but more of the idea where it began, why it was done. Why Wayne’s fingerprint was so important etc. (you find it yourself). The story gets me, as it gets interesting minute by minute.

Now from characterisations. Hm. I don’t have much criticism anyway, since the film blows me away. I love how each character supports the flow of the story well and how those people are build their own story. That anyone can be hero for the people around them. Nolan did not put Wayne alone as the center of the attention, or Bane as the ultimate vigilante here. He put every character in their best places. Everyone is vital. Everyone is important. Everyone is just as worthy as the others.

If you know me very well, I am crazy about Joseph-Gordon Levitt’s precious face. He’s like, a drama king with serious face. I love, how Nolan did not simply put him as Batman’s assistant, to save time. He did not just “Hi, you’re good and you have a kind heart, be a Robin to my Batman *and BAM!*” Thank God, no. Blake, portrayed by JGL did a great job on what’s best for him: saving people by just being a commoner. Sorry for starting the character reviw from JGL, though. I love him. And by the way, I’m not going to have a thorough discussion of character review here. Just a highlight of some impressive scenes and thoughts about the main characters.
Christian Bale is awesome. Rocking those sexy lips, deep voice, and great act, as usual. He really portrayed the rise of a hero from his deep sleep. Slaughtered and humiliated by Bane, he was thrown away to the place where Bane was raised. I personally learned a lot lessons from this film. I don’t know if I’m being bought by great actors, but there are some morals of this story, if we look close enough. I love the scene where Wayne did a jump in the hell-ish Caribbean prison. It was heartbreaking, heart throbbing *again, I cried here*. It shows me how fear is natural. Fear will show you what to do. Again I’m not a much poet to describe how fear is supposed to nurture someone or a character, but by being frightened enough to certain things, we force ourselves to defend our existence. It’s not about how we physically endure the pain life has offered, but more on how we mentally react to suppress the fear and turn it into power.

Anne Hathaway, surprisingly did a wonderful job as Cat Woman. Honestly when I heard the name “Anne Hathaway”, I didn’t think she could play as a mysterious, sexy, double-sided character like Cat Woman. She proved me wrong. She did great. I need to add how witty and un-sloppy she played there. So good. Hands down, Anne Hathaway.
And people, MUST, appreciate Marion Cotillard’s appearance in the film. Adding her in TDKR team betters the story even more. Seriously though, who would not fall for that sexy, deep, mysterious look? And please notice how slick she could be! So good. I always love her.
And of course I love Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman too. They are awesome. It’s just impossible for me to write thorough reviews of their characters. This post might turn to be a paper if I force myself to write things thoroughly.

Everything is great in the film. Everything is planned, supported by each of the element existing in it. I give 4.5 stars of 5 stars for this film, cause I love it.

Seriously, you must watch this film in theater.

Posted in films | 1 Comment »

Book Review: Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore

July 31, 2012
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Haruki Murakami – Kafka on the Shore

.

I’m not promising to describe my feelings and analysis upon this work in such a great detail, cause I read this book in between trips, when I got bored waiting for certain queues, whenever I felt like reading the book. I might forget some important details, therefore I’m sorry for not being able to give a good review.

Kafka on the Shore is my third Murakami book. Sputnik Sweetheart was the first Murakami’s book that I read and I quite enjoyed it, even though I didn’t really like how it ends. It’s hanging me, left me in questions. Norwegian Wood, is by far, one of the best books I’ve read. The story touches me and it leaves such an impression and hard to forget.

I give 3 of 5 stars to this book because of these 2 points:

1). The plot is too slow.
I love how Murakami describes things and people’s feelings, alright. He is great with words. But I think the sequences of events happened in this book are happened too slow. Let’s say the slow plot and events happened in the book happened for a reason, BUT Murakami didn’t explain really well the connections of some events happened there. Like, in first chapters he explained about a young boy (Nakata) who fell unconscious in a forest and after the event he could not function himself well. He took many pages to explain Nakata’s life but in the end he left me in question when Nakata suddenly died (I cried at that part because of Hoshino’s deep feelings to Nakata lol). I even still question what actually happened in the forest, in the beginning of the story. Who Nakata actually is and what is his role in connecting Miss Saeki and Kafka? Who is Kafka? Miss Saeki’s reincarnated-past lover? Miss Saeki’s son? Who is Kafka’s father and what’s his connection to Miss Saeki? I kind of wished Murakami had explained these connections and explained my questions in the end of the book, but no.

2). I just…don’t know how to respond/review some bizarre events happened in the book. Maybe I’m not that imaginative/creative/etc but if some unusual events happened there were metaphors or symbolism, kindly explain it?

* Some people claim the book has (erghhh, idk how to define what “delicate literotica”, sorry) some uncensored scenes, involving a 15 year-old boy who made love to his (suspected) mother. Well, I personally don’t really mind about it. But somehow it disturbs me a little when I had to picture the scenes.

I think that’s all my so-called review of Murakami’s Kafka on the SHore. I promise I will try my best to write more proper book review.

Next, I’ll be reading Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.

Posted in books | 1 Comment »

John Keats

November 28, 2010

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Ah! dearest love, sweet home of all my fears,
and hopes, and joys, and panting miseries,
Tonight if I may guess, thy beauty wears a smile of such delight,
As brilliant and as bright
As when with ravished, aching, nassal eyes,
Lost in a soft amaze
I gaze, I gaze

— John Keats

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Posted in poetry | 2 Comments »

Radical Feminism

July 5, 2010

Okay I will make this post as readable as possible, and clear.

At about a week ago I adjudicated a debating match where its final motion was: This House Believe That Radical Feminist Movement is Responsible for Assorted Social Ills. And I should be the one to blame for picking this complicated motion. TEHEEHEE. 😀

That was one of Indonesian Varsity Debating Championship’s 2007 motions, under social heading. I didn’t debate about this motion, though. But as I hear Sonny’s team was debating this, and the context is about whether or not feminism has gone too far.

As I have limited knowledge about feminism, I will review this debate based on my limited understanding of feminism.

What we need to synchronize here is about the conception of radical feminism. Radical feminism is NOT feminism. It IS different. Well yes, radical feminism might be one of feminism branch, but it is totally different from feminism. Feminism’s goal is how to put women in equal position as men. You can picture in your mind of how women in Victorian era were treated as properties, petted (UGH I HATE THIS WORD, PETTED). They were being controlled and dominated.

And now let us see what radical feminism is:

Radical feminism is a philosophy emphasizing the patriarchal roots of inequality between men and women, or, more specifically, social dominance of women by men. Radical feminism views patriarchy as dividing rights, privileges and power primarily by gender, and as a result oppressing women and privileging men. Radical feminists tend to be more militant in their approach (radical as “getting to the root”). Radical feminism opposes existing political and social organization in general because it is inherently tied to patriarchy. (source)

From that definition we can infer that the aim of radical feminism is to challenge male domination (patriarchy). Not necessarily hating male, but in a way how to tell people that these ~radical feminists~ are able to survive without male domination over their lives. They tend to challenge current system cause they see, it is somewhat tied to male domination (male patriarchy).

Action:

Radical feminism was not only a movement of ideology and theory. Radical feminists also took direct action. In 1968, they protested against the Miss America pageant by throwing high heels and other feminine accoutrements into a freedom garbage bin. In 1970, they also staged a sit-in at the Ladies’ Home Journal. In addition, they held speakouts about topics such as rape. (source)

Back to This House Believe That Radical Feminist Movement is Responsible for Assorted Social Ills.

The point of this debate is, to prove, that radical feminism here has nothing to do with the spread of social ills; that it does not influence people/society; that it does not harm any member of society.

Of course debaters of each positive and negative side of house must define clearly WHAT radical feminism is, WHAT does it mean by being responsible, and WHAT are these ‘assorted social ills’.

What I regret from this debate, both positive and negative houses forgot to make clear the debate, as in defining, and explaining each element of the motion like what I have mentioned above. Some debaters simply assuming that radical feminism = feminism, while as a matter of fact it is not. And further, they forgot to explain what the aim of the debate is. Because instead of explaining whether or not radical feminism responsible in causing social ills, they explained how radical feminism is right, justifiable, and accepted in society. And it was out of context. And the rest were still weak in explaining the core of the debate.

Okay I’m sorry for abusing both your eyes and your brain, but I really need to exercise my brain by talking about this.

And

If

You don’t understand any of the those arranged words I’ve been uttering..

I will bash my head against my laptop’s screen.

And scream.

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Posted in thought | 3 Comments »

Start Over

June 15, 2010

Do you know the ultimate way out for almost desperate person like me when they feel dazed and confused in finding true self?

I start over things. Every thing, all things that used to define me. I delete them away. Don’t you want to know why?
Because I don’t want to see the old me.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

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