Habibie & Ainun

Indonesia 2012

Details wikipedia

Seen 3 May 2014

Ratings from other sources

IMDB 7.9/10

This film is based on the memoir written by Habibie, the 3^rd President of Indonesia about his wife, Hasri Ainun Habibie, in his book " Habibie and Ainun"

My ratings 7.0/10

My impressions:

It has been written

They shall meet and be

Together

Through good and bad times

A pledge to be

One

Forever

Sacrifices were made for a cause

To see a dream come true

The wealth of the nation for all

To empower the masses

It is ambitious

Men and women in the end

Are human

Weaknesses and strength

A cycle through time

That obscure object of desire

Spain 1977

Details imdb

Seen 22 January 2013

Ratings from other sources

IMDB  7.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes Average Rating  9./10

My ratings 8.0/10

A man thinks that a girl he met is the right one for him. That beginning sees a tumultuous relationship, to say the least. Throughout their relationship, the girl always avoids giving her all to the man. Why?

My impressions:

Is it really love

Or just the physical attraction

That keeps someone going

In pursuit

Through so many disappointments

Against the advice

Of others who can see from afar

That the chase

Never ends

Is it worth the trouble

The heartaches

The uncertainties

When push comes to shove

Humiliated, dejected

The heart still pines for

The object of desire

Walk on water (Lalekhet Al HaMayim)

Israel 2004

Details imdb

Seen 1 May 2012

Hatred be gone, be at peace with yourself

Ratings

IMDB 7.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes Audience 85% liked it

It takes time to let go of all the past baggage and discover what is more important in your life. Life is complicated as it is and this film gets a 7.5/10 for highlighting the challenges one faces in different situations.

My impressions:

Trained to kill

Life does not mean much

But when it touches yourself

Then you feel the pain

Even though you try to hide

Even though you try to forget

It still haunts you

A new perspective

Comes along

Opening up old wounds

Do you deny the past

Embrace the present

Drop everything

All the beliefs

All the history

No

It cannot be that simple

Irreversible (Irréversible)

France 2002

Details imdb

Seen 30 April 2012

Time can heal, it can also destroy

Ratings

IMDB 7.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes Audience 80% liked it

The film maker's approach to this film puts you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what actually happened. That in itself deserves an 8.0/10 and no doubt helped by the main actors as well as the cinematography.

My impressions:

Love as usual play an important role

In the lives of many

A beautiful girl

Intelligent, in control of her destiny

Everything seems to fall in place

The future seems so bright

Full of promises

Good things

To be enjoyed, savoured

Until one day

The sequence of events

Changed the course of destiny

When man at his lowest ebb

Degenerates

To that animal instinct

Devouring

Destroying

For no apparent reason

Once the deed has been done

It cannot be undone

Not in this lifetime

Venus

UK 2006

Details imdb

Seen 24 April 2012

The Goddess of Love touches a man

Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes Audience 73% liked it

Metacritic User Score 7.3/10

The fact that Peter O'Toole and Vanessa Redgrave are in the film makes it deserving of an 8.0, helped no doubt by the repartee between some characters.

My impressions:

The pleasurable pursuit and enjoyment of life

All through the years

With nary a regret

Sees one wondering

Whether that was our true self

Then comes a different whiff of air

Not entirely unique in its own way

But it does give one another slant

To the past

And what today and the future will bring

How ever long or short that period may be

We know the end is near

We make time

To discover again

The other side

Stubborn are we

Defiant

That what we have done

In the name of pleasure

Was done with eyes open

No regrets

But acceptance

A life full of joy and laughter

Remembered by many

With fondness and sweet memories

Malaysian Gods

Malaysia 2009

Details dahuangpictures

Seen 17 April 2012

Leaders and followers, the lives that are touched

A minority juxtaposed

Against a major event

Does the event have any relevance to the group

Their aspirations, dreams and reality

It might not seem so

But the event did trigger a ripple

A life changing event

That had never been dreamed of before

Happened

The consequence is still felt after so many years

There are changes

Too little and too slow for some

Changes need time

But time gone can never be recovered

The time has to be now

The method of change might have to be revised

Fine tuned

In order for the aim and ambition

To be a success

In the meantime

Keep on moving

Downfall

Germany 2004

Details imdb

Seen 16 August 2009

How does a man
A powerful man and his close aides
Face their final days before defeat

Compassion lost
In its place
A cold, steely heart

Millions dead
Inconsequential

To his mind
And those who follow
Sacrifices are justified
Hideous acts, unimaginable
Seems so routine
Nothing out of the ordinary

A mother who puts all her children
To eternal sleep
How could she

Is there any justification
For the suffering
For the atrocities

All because of an idea

The superiority
Of a particular group
Has to be stamped, marked
In any which way possible
For posterity

And 50 million people died
Along the way

Throne of Blood

Japan 1957

Details  imdb

Seen 6 March 2009

The Japanese version of Macbeth, is a testimony of our common characteristics as part of the human race irrespective of where our domicile is. Power, how intoxicating, the lengths some will go to gain it and to hold onto. In this case, a prediction comes true for an ambitious general as well as his ever scheming wife. They do get the throne, but it is of blood.

For most of us brought up in the western version of the play, this adaptation highlights the salient points of the story. The director succeeded in giving the story an eerie, ethereal feel, and the main characters are sufficiently flashed out by the actors to give an added personal dimension.

Bewitching.

 

Maaf, Saya Menghamili Istri Anda

Indonesia 2007

Details  thesupermovie

Seen 21 February 2009

Dibyo, who does not seem to be able to hold a permanent job despite many efforts, is depressed about his life circumstances but an encounter with Mira, a girl he met during a night out with his friend, changed his outlook forever. Their relationship became closer until one day; Mira found out that she is pregnant. To complicate matters, even though Mira is in the process of having a divorce, she is still legally married to a neighbourhood mob leader. The rest of the story shows how Dibyo tries his best to tell the truth to Mira’s ex- husband and the scrapes that he had to go through to carry out this simple task.

I had a vcd copy of the movie and there were no subtitles, so I missed a lot of the dialogue. I could not get the nuances of the script so it is unfair to past a general judgment on the whole story.

A lot of slapstick but it does give a picture of the efforts and sacrifices one goes through in order to prove one’s love and commitment.

 

Wall E

USA 2008

Details  imdb

Seen 20 February 2009

A love affair between two robots, seems incredible doesn’t it? Well, in the hands of Walt Disney and Pixar, anything is possible.

A lonely existence on Earth suddenly seems not so mundane with the appearance of another robot from who knows where. Thus begin a courtship, loyal devotion and love between the two unlikely characters. One is a clunky old model, Wall E and the other, a much newer, super efficient version, Eve.

As in any other love story, they go through trial and tribulations, a test to their commitment towards each other. Will they succeed to live happily ever after? Only time will tell. And don’t forget we also have the Earth devastated angle as well.

A standard entertaining formula from the purveyors of happy endings, albeit set in the future.

The Bubble

Israel 2007

Details  imdb

Seen 8 February 2009

The love between Noam and Ashraf seemed doomed from the beginning. The two are from opposite camps, Noam, an Israeli and Ashraf, a Palestinian. Despite efforts and support from friends and those like minded, who want peace above all else, they face barriers. Barriers, physical and emotional, built up through decades of animosity between the two sides seem insurmountable. Everyone is in their own bubble.

Would the lovers be able to live happily ever after? 

Savage Grace

USA 2007

Details  imdb

Seen 7 February 2009

If you ever need a dysfunctional family, you need not look any further than the Baekeland family.  An aloof father and a mother who is to put it mildly, a nymphomaniac, would put a strain on any child. The effect would be felt more as your terms of reference are not the norm. We see the father living with the son’s girlfriend and the son sleeping together with the mother’s lover. All comes to a head when the mother tries to wean the son from being a homosexual.

The sad part of it all is that this story is based on real life.

Truth is more bizarre than fiction.

 

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

USA 2008

Details  vickycristina-movie

Seen 2 February 2009

Another love story from Woody Allen, and he does not disappoint.

This time, two girls are on a summer holiday to Barcelona. One, Vicky, engaged to be married, staid and sure of herself and Cristina, the girl who would try anything once. Then there is Juan Antonio, an artist who came into their lives and made the holidays not the usual touristy jaunt.

We must not forget Maria Elena, the fiery ex-wife.

All the questions on love, loyalty, doing the right thing or following your heart’s desire are explored. No stock answers but we get delicious highlights.

Delightful.

The Visitor

USA 2008

Details  thevisitorfilm

Seen 2 February 2009

A low key story of a professor of economics encounter with illegal immigrants to the US. Walter has become jaded with his career and the moment he stumbled into the young couple who had occupied his apartment in New York, his life took a different path.

At first, the couple was allowed to stay for a while until they can find another place but slowly, a friendship develops and Walter became more involved with their lives when the young man, Tariq was detained for overstaying.

Walter discovers again a passion for life through Tariq and his girlfriend, Zainab as well as Muna, Tariq’s mother who came to New York when Tariq was detained.

The emotions are well kept under the skin, just simmering, seldom going beyond boiling point.

Subtle.