Tergantung bergelantung
Lontang-lantung terlantung-lantung
Tak nyana akan jadi bingung
Ingin yang jelas
Bagai beningnya gelas
Tapi tak ingin memelas
Bagai meminta nilai bagus ke guru kelas
Kepada peraduan aku mengadu
Ke manakah aku harus berlalu?
SP
Jakarta, 21 April 2017
19.00 WIB
Friday, April 21, 2017
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Post Bahasa Indonesia
Saya rasa saya akan lebih longgar memperlakukan blog ini.
Mulai sekarang, saya juga akan menulis dalam Bahasa Indonesia.
Dulu blog ini saya tulis sepenuhnya dalam Bahasa Inggris karena salah satu tugas kuliah yang mewajibkan kami menulis blog setiap minggunya, dalam Bahasa Inggris, karena kampus kami menggunakan Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa pengantar pelajarannya. Saya berpikir, selain untuk tugas, saya bisa berlatih meningkatkan kemampuan Bahasa Inggris saya melalui blog , dan itulah alasan saya meneruskan blog ini dalam Bahasa Inggris sampai sekarang, sekitar 21 bulan setelah saya lulus (walaupun pada kenyataannya saya jarang menulis karena beragam alasan).
Namun, saya merasa, ada beberapa hal yang saya rasa akan jauh lebih nyaman disampaikan dalam Bahasa Indonesia, karena bagaimana pun juga, Bahasa Indonesia adalah bahasa ibu saya, bahasa pertama yang terekam dalam otak saya, bahasa yang lebih sering saya gunakan saat tumbuh berkembang dalam kehidupan saya, khususnya karena saya besar di negeri ini.
Maka jadilah.
Mulai sekarang, saya juga akan menulis dalam Bahasa Indonesia.
Dulu blog ini saya tulis sepenuhnya dalam Bahasa Inggris karena salah satu tugas kuliah yang mewajibkan kami menulis blog setiap minggunya, dalam Bahasa Inggris, karena kampus kami menggunakan Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa pengantar pelajarannya. Saya berpikir, selain untuk tugas, saya bisa berlatih meningkatkan kemampuan Bahasa Inggris saya melalui blog , dan itulah alasan saya meneruskan blog ini dalam Bahasa Inggris sampai sekarang, sekitar 21 bulan setelah saya lulus (walaupun pada kenyataannya saya jarang menulis karena beragam alasan).
Namun, saya merasa, ada beberapa hal yang saya rasa akan jauh lebih nyaman disampaikan dalam Bahasa Indonesia, karena bagaimana pun juga, Bahasa Indonesia adalah bahasa ibu saya, bahasa pertama yang terekam dalam otak saya, bahasa yang lebih sering saya gunakan saat tumbuh berkembang dalam kehidupan saya, khususnya karena saya besar di negeri ini.
Maka jadilah.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
It's Rainy and You're Going Home
When the rain drops during the night
Those orange lights you see on the road
Suddenly become more visible
Although the water covers your vision
And the sound muffles your hearing
But you are grateful
For you can still see the light
That leads you along the way
Towards sanity and sense
To the place... where you belong
SP
Depok, March 21, 2017
23:20 WIB
Sunday, November 13, 2016
It's Been A While
Hey readers (if any),
I'm back.
I've been away from this blog for quite some time, if not a long time--I'll take that as a truth. It's been a year and five months since my last post. I promised you a series, but it never happened and is not happening (well, maybe it might happen soon, but I don't see it happening for the time being). Forgive me, really, my sincere apologies to all of you (and to myself). Because the thing is, sometimes things just happen that those would deter you from doing things. It's hard to explain what are those 'things', but I believe, everybody has it.
I get busy (yeah, everybody gets busy, duh) with life. There has been a lot of things going on with me within the past year. My life has gone through thick and thin and I have decided by this writing that being silent for too long isn't gonna do any good, not at least to myself.
The cancelation of the series that I promised you (and myself) to write as I have stated above is based on the fact that the series is no longer relevant for me. It lost its essence. While I was preparing for it (plus I do have a problem with procrastination, which might deter me from doing something right away at that exact moment), in August, not too long after I published the teaser for that series, I got a job offer from a good friend and mentor of mine. His life is based within film criticism and analysis and he, alongside his two fellows which are also my mentors and friends, runs a website about world cinema. I personally have written two articles in the website and is technically one of its contributors.
About the job that he offered, he asked to me become a web journalist for an art event held in Jakarta, funded by the Government. When he offered me the job, I was unemployed and had nothing to do at that moment. I was searching for a job while also forcing myself into the process of accepting the fact that my thesis wasn't satisfactory--I actually learned a lesson or two from that whole thesis drama. I got introduced to the main editor, told that the event would take time starting in late August up until January (although my job would not be a full-time job), and asked if I would join the team. I said yes, and told that the salary offered would not be that much, but that all my necessities while doing the job would be covered. I wasn't alone, I was teamed with two others (one of them also being a friend of mine from the film website). My job as the journalist placed me on a journey I've never thought I would do someday, such as watching a live performance art held beside the Ciliwung River and talking to an architect who would prefer working for the lower-middle class people rather than constructing high buildings and roadways for personal transportation modes.
In September, while working for that art event, I got a call from my lecturer, who offered me another part time job, this time as a film researcher for a film restoration company that was about to launch its TV channel (for your information, I now have become a full-time employee for the station and last week was my first job anniversary). I was offered a good salary and my job description include researching about prominent Indonesian filmmakers or actors/actresses for their programs. My lecturer's production house was hired to produce the programs and I was responsible for the content of the programs, as my research would be the base. I too took the job offer, so I did two jobs at the same time. Some days I would show up at the art event or its head office, some I would show up at the TV channel or the production house, some I would show up on both offices, and some I would show up at none since it would be my time at home to write the articles or prepare the concept and manage the contents of the programs.
As I have previously written, I got offered for a full time job by the TV station two months after working as a freelancer for them (and for the production house too, actually). Before officially offering me, the COO and GM have discussed with the production house that originally hired me about this matter. I took the job and became a full-time employee in November, although my contract with the art event ended in December, so I made a deal with the station that they would still let me work for the art event until my contract ends (the art event itself ends in January, so by the time the art event held its closing event, it was already a month since I last worked for them). I too made a deal with the art event that I would only cover weekend happenings and, if necessary, up to two weekday happenings within the whole month (I was given one though). Still in the same month of November, I took another part time job offered by my beloved dad, this time as a translator for a personal development module. So my personal time became extremely limited: during the day I would work as a full-time employee, at night I would translate, and during the weekends I would cover happenings that were related to the art event. Technically I had no time for myself; the only personal time I have would be going to church on Sundays (even if that means having to go to a very specific service time before or after covering the happening) and bicycling every morning for one hour and taking my dog for a very short walk afterwards. I missed going to the movies (which is my other sanctuary), hanging out with friends or even just for a short read or watching a movie at home. Starting from January, it's getting more organized, as I have finished working for the art event (the event ended that month as well) and the program production have finished too.
Also, I fall in love. After almost three years of not falling in love, I fall in love in December (and magically, that month again!) and am in a relationship now.
So...
The series that I once promised was brought up from the fact that at the time when I wrote it down, I was anxious, nervous and worried about myself. About my future to be exact. Four years in college may not seem like a long time for some, but once it's finished, you might feel perplexed for what will happen next. You just don't know what to do, you have this bulk of uncertainties right in front of your eyes, waiting to be encountered. You just really don't know what's next for you. That was what I felt, and so I thought that to reminisce those good ol' times and being nostalgic would be good to help me pass through the time and feelings.
Before I get to put my deep thoughts into it, before I even experience it, I already got myself two jobs. Not to be cocky though, not really at all, but that amount of responsibilities that I had to do limited my time so much that such things would no longer become necessary or relevant. When my graduation was held in December, I have become a full-time employee and my contract with the art event would end real soon. My anxiety of my near future's uncertainty has been lifted.
And that is why I deter myself from blogging about it and decided that I would not continue the series. Heck no, I haven't even started it yet and I would not start it, at least not for the time being. And about why I didn't blog for more than a year, well, the answer would be that... I don't know, perhaps life itself would be the best answer. Or maybe it's just myself. Plus, my Twitter was hacked, so I decided to dismiss myself completely from that micro-blogging social media, and that before that, Twitter was my only way of promoting this blog. So no, I'm not promoting this blog again. If you happen to be a unique reader, then welcome, and well done (or maybe not so much) for discovering this very nothing-special blog.
I'm not saying that my anxiety and worry of my near (and perhaps far) future is completely gone. I still have personal goals and plans that I haven't achieved or done yet. Those things would take me into a process, which might bring my anxiety and worries back. Well yes I have posted about my bucket list, but for me these personal plans are something bigger, because if I don't get to do these things, I am quite certain that I would regret. I would be unsatisfied and maybe feel dull about myself. I really hope that my dreams would come true.
Well then, I think that's all for my comeback now. I hope I'll write again soon.
I'm back.
I've been away from this blog for quite some time, if not a long time--I'll take that as a truth. It's been a year and five months since my last post. I promised you a series, but it never happened and is not happening (well, maybe it might happen soon, but I don't see it happening for the time being). Forgive me, really, my sincere apologies to all of you (and to myself). Because the thing is, sometimes things just happen that those would deter you from doing things. It's hard to explain what are those 'things', but I believe, everybody has it.
I get busy (yeah, everybody gets busy, duh) with life. There has been a lot of things going on with me within the past year. My life has gone through thick and thin and I have decided by this writing that being silent for too long isn't gonna do any good, not at least to myself.
The cancelation of the series that I promised you (and myself) to write as I have stated above is based on the fact that the series is no longer relevant for me. It lost its essence. While I was preparing for it (plus I do have a problem with procrastination, which might deter me from doing something right away at that exact moment), in August, not too long after I published the teaser for that series, I got a job offer from a good friend and mentor of mine. His life is based within film criticism and analysis and he, alongside his two fellows which are also my mentors and friends, runs a website about world cinema. I personally have written two articles in the website and is technically one of its contributors.
About the job that he offered, he asked to me become a web journalist for an art event held in Jakarta, funded by the Government. When he offered me the job, I was unemployed and had nothing to do at that moment. I was searching for a job while also forcing myself into the process of accepting the fact that my thesis wasn't satisfactory--I actually learned a lesson or two from that whole thesis drama. I got introduced to the main editor, told that the event would take time starting in late August up until January (although my job would not be a full-time job), and asked if I would join the team. I said yes, and told that the salary offered would not be that much, but that all my necessities while doing the job would be covered. I wasn't alone, I was teamed with two others (one of them also being a friend of mine from the film website). My job as the journalist placed me on a journey I've never thought I would do someday, such as watching a live performance art held beside the Ciliwung River and talking to an architect who would prefer working for the lower-middle class people rather than constructing high buildings and roadways for personal transportation modes.
In September, while working for that art event, I got a call from my lecturer, who offered me another part time job, this time as a film researcher for a film restoration company that was about to launch its TV channel (for your information, I now have become a full-time employee for the station and last week was my first job anniversary). I was offered a good salary and my job description include researching about prominent Indonesian filmmakers or actors/actresses for their programs. My lecturer's production house was hired to produce the programs and I was responsible for the content of the programs, as my research would be the base. I too took the job offer, so I did two jobs at the same time. Some days I would show up at the art event or its head office, some I would show up at the TV channel or the production house, some I would show up on both offices, and some I would show up at none since it would be my time at home to write the articles or prepare the concept and manage the contents of the programs.
As I have previously written, I got offered for a full time job by the TV station two months after working as a freelancer for them (and for the production house too, actually). Before officially offering me, the COO and GM have discussed with the production house that originally hired me about this matter. I took the job and became a full-time employee in November, although my contract with the art event ended in December, so I made a deal with the station that they would still let me work for the art event until my contract ends (the art event itself ends in January, so by the time the art event held its closing event, it was already a month since I last worked for them). I too made a deal with the art event that I would only cover weekend happenings and, if necessary, up to two weekday happenings within the whole month (I was given one though). Still in the same month of November, I took another part time job offered by my beloved dad, this time as a translator for a personal development module. So my personal time became extremely limited: during the day I would work as a full-time employee, at night I would translate, and during the weekends I would cover happenings that were related to the art event. Technically I had no time for myself; the only personal time I have would be going to church on Sundays (even if that means having to go to a very specific service time before or after covering the happening) and bicycling every morning for one hour and taking my dog for a very short walk afterwards. I missed going to the movies (which is my other sanctuary), hanging out with friends or even just for a short read or watching a movie at home. Starting from January, it's getting more organized, as I have finished working for the art event (the event ended that month as well) and the program production have finished too.
Also, I fall in love. After almost three years of not falling in love, I fall in love in December (and magically, that month again!) and am in a relationship now.
So...
The series that I once promised was brought up from the fact that at the time when I wrote it down, I was anxious, nervous and worried about myself. About my future to be exact. Four years in college may not seem like a long time for some, but once it's finished, you might feel perplexed for what will happen next. You just don't know what to do, you have this bulk of uncertainties right in front of your eyes, waiting to be encountered. You just really don't know what's next for you. That was what I felt, and so I thought that to reminisce those good ol' times and being nostalgic would be good to help me pass through the time and feelings.
Before I get to put my deep thoughts into it, before I even experience it, I already got myself two jobs. Not to be cocky though, not really at all, but that amount of responsibilities that I had to do limited my time so much that such things would no longer become necessary or relevant. When my graduation was held in December, I have become a full-time employee and my contract with the art event would end real soon. My anxiety of my near future's uncertainty has been lifted.
And that is why I deter myself from blogging about it and decided that I would not continue the series. Heck no, I haven't even started it yet and I would not start it, at least not for the time being. And about why I didn't blog for more than a year, well, the answer would be that... I don't know, perhaps life itself would be the best answer. Or maybe it's just myself. Plus, my Twitter was hacked, so I decided to dismiss myself completely from that micro-blogging social media, and that before that, Twitter was my only way of promoting this blog. So no, I'm not promoting this blog again. If you happen to be a unique reader, then welcome, and well done (or maybe not so much) for discovering this very nothing-special blog.
I'm not saying that my anxiety and worry of my near (and perhaps far) future is completely gone. I still have personal goals and plans that I haven't achieved or done yet. Those things would take me into a process, which might bring my anxiety and worries back. Well yes I have posted about my bucket list, but for me these personal plans are something bigger, because if I don't get to do these things, I am quite certain that I would regret. I would be unsatisfied and maybe feel dull about myself. I really hope that my dreams would come true.
Well then, I think that's all for my comeback now. I hope I'll write again soon.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Introducing: #SudahkahAndaMerasaTuaHariIni?
I am graduating soon. This July, I will have my Thesis Defense, might also have revisions on the thesis itself and, if there are no problems, then... boom! College's done. Welcome to the effing real world.
I just can't believe that time goes by so fast that I am now 21 (will turn 22 soon) and will be working soon. I will be responsible totally on my own--what I mean is not just responsible of things like cleaning up my bedroom or cooking my own food (which are also important to note), but also things beyond that, like getting a job, paying taxes and bills, saving money to buy a house and car/motorcycle, finding chances for further academic pursuit and many more "adult stuff"... all on my own. Whoa! It's exciting but it also makes me anxious and nervous at the very same time!
To quote a very good teacher of mine, "it's the graduation season... like it or not, it makes me a bit sentimental." Yes, it's effing true. My teacher becomes sentimental because he is a teacher who will witness his students entering the real world. On the other hand, I myself become sentimental because... I will be the one who is entering the real world.
While preparing myself for the real world--officially entering adulthood--after I am declared graduated, I want to turn back time. I want to go on a flashback, reviewing my life through things (mostly films, TV series and music) that helped my go through my childhood and adolescence until I become who I am now. The things that actually shaped me and somehow "prepared" me to enter adulthood.
So here I am, introducing my writing series: #SudahkahAndaMerasaTuaHariIni?
In this series, I will tell my stories regarding things that I feel important during my childhood, adolescence and early years of college--or even until now. Why mostly films, TV series and music? Because, without noticing it back then, I came to realize that I have been passionate with films since junior high school that I spent a lot of time watching films and TV series and actually had conversations with people around those two. Music, on the other hand, has always been a part of me.
My writing series will not be bounded with the amount of parts, so I can just end the series anytime I feel like I have enough to tell. I will try to tell the things chronologically, but since I can't always remember all things (I'm just another human being though), there might be a chance of slightly non-chronological writings.
Alright, that's all for the introduction. My first part of #SudahkahAndaMerasaTuaHariIni will be up soon!
I just can't believe that time goes by so fast that I am now 21 (will turn 22 soon) and will be working soon. I will be responsible totally on my own--what I mean is not just responsible of things like cleaning up my bedroom or cooking my own food (which are also important to note), but also things beyond that, like getting a job, paying taxes and bills, saving money to buy a house and car/motorcycle, finding chances for further academic pursuit and many more "adult stuff"... all on my own. Whoa! It's exciting but it also makes me anxious and nervous at the very same time!
To quote a very good teacher of mine, "it's the graduation season... like it or not, it makes me a bit sentimental." Yes, it's effing true. My teacher becomes sentimental because he is a teacher who will witness his students entering the real world. On the other hand, I myself become sentimental because... I will be the one who is entering the real world.
While preparing myself for the real world--officially entering adulthood--after I am declared graduated, I want to turn back time. I want to go on a flashback, reviewing my life through things (mostly films, TV series and music) that helped my go through my childhood and adolescence until I become who I am now. The things that actually shaped me and somehow "prepared" me to enter adulthood.
So here I am, introducing my writing series: #SudahkahAndaMerasaTuaHariIni?
In this series, I will tell my stories regarding things that I feel important during my childhood, adolescence and early years of college--or even until now. Why mostly films, TV series and music? Because, without noticing it back then, I came to realize that I have been passionate with films since junior high school that I spent a lot of time watching films and TV series and actually had conversations with people around those two. Music, on the other hand, has always been a part of me.
My writing series will not be bounded with the amount of parts, so I can just end the series anytime I feel like I have enough to tell. I will try to tell the things chronologically, but since I can't always remember all things (I'm just another human being though), there might be a chance of slightly non-chronological writings.
Alright, that's all for the introduction. My first part of #SudahkahAndaMerasaTuaHariIni will be up soon!
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Honestly, the one thing that really annoys me from most romantic comedy films (apart from their silly stories, which sometimes happens--but this is not my point for now) is this fact...
...that they will drag the camera away from the lovey-dovey characters when they are at the peak of being very romantic on screen at that moment.
Like seriously. I totally understand that it sometimes fulfills the aesthetic purpose of the film, but still I want to see them being very romantic! I want to see them kissing while hugging, or holding hands, or their expression when they are finally getting married, or whatever it is that they're doing (sex is not included for this reason: it's a rom-com and it's somewhat unlikely to see any actual sex scene, let alone the explicit one, in this genre, for most rom-coms are targeted to be PG-13-rated).
Or maybe is it just me? Maybe most people never mind with this. Or they do? LOL.
Do I miss something here? If I do miss anything or if you do have thoughts and opinions please let me know.
...that they will drag the camera away from the lovey-dovey characters when they are at the peak of being very romantic on screen at that moment.
Like seriously. I totally understand that it sometimes fulfills the aesthetic purpose of the film, but still I want to see them being very romantic! I want to see them kissing while hugging, or holding hands, or their expression when they are finally getting married, or whatever it is that they're doing (sex is not included for this reason: it's a rom-com and it's somewhat unlikely to see any actual sex scene, let alone the explicit one, in this genre, for most rom-coms are targeted to be PG-13-rated).
Or maybe is it just me? Maybe most people never mind with this. Or they do? LOL.
Do I miss something here? If I do miss anything or if you do have thoughts and opinions please let me know.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
My Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Films
I have just finished revising my chapter 1-3 thesis draft and it's Saturday night, so I'm taking a break for now before continuing to work my ass off again on the thesis maybe tomorrow or on Monday. Suddenly this theme popped up in my mind randomly, so I decided to just write it off.
As I have promised before in my previous post, here I am going to make a list of my top five guilty pleasure films.
Being a film student, I am constantly taught and told about the ideal filmmaking formulas and tips that actually work. I am given loads of good films to watch from various directors, genres, styles and countries (and yes, I would admit that I still lack a lot of watching, to be honest). You name it: The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Battleship Potemkin, 2001: A Space Odyssey... whatever "snobbish" film titles which might appear on many film critics' "Best Movies" list. On and off the class, I would be given tasks to write reports on film history and its movements, or to watch videos of cinematographers talking about the development of cinematography in cinema and how to work with directors, and still many more related stuff. Basically just anything about film, especially the good ones.
But doing that should not make me or any film student be snob, though. Yes, I know that this makes us watch more quality films but let's admit it, there must be films that may not be considered good enough by most people but we still love it though. One of my screenwriting lecturers, who is an expert screenwriter, a famous script doctor/consultant and a strict guru on "somebody who wants something so bad but is having obstacles reaching it" logline/premise, once bluntly admitted in front of me and my film classmates that she actually enjoyed Michael Bay's films: Armageddon, The Rock, even the first installment of the bloody Transformers series (although gratefully not the last two). "Because they have characters," she said. What is meant by "they have characters" here is that the characters are interesting enough and they have stories to tell--something that not all films succeed in doing so.
Well, I think that's enough introduction, so let me just start writing my list, for whatever reason that is. And if any of you would think that "why would you like any of those films?", the answer would: well... and that is why this is called as a guilty pleasure list, I suppose.
P.S.: you won't find the likes of Nicolas Sparks' adapted films here. Sorry.
5. Snow Dogs (Brian Levant, 2002)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 24%
On a deeper note, this film has been a part of my life history. I remember clearly the first time I watched this film was when I was in 3rd grade. What brought me to watch this film was on one weekend (I suppose it was a Saturday), I was walking around a mall in South Jakarta with my family, where many of the DVD stores in the mall displayed this film at the New Release section. I have always loved dogs, so I begged my parents to buy me the film, but it was almost the exam week and they're afraid that I would be distracted from studying had they bought the film straightaway on that day, so they promised me that they would buy this film after I finish all my exams. And they did. The film came home to me the next weekend.
Well, there goes my journey with this film. During the summer vacation from Grade 3 to Grade 4, I would watch this film everyday, every morning to be exact. I wasn't going anywhere during that summer since my parents were working, so it was somewhat a blessing in disguise. I woke up at 7.15 am (I wonder how did I do it back then now that I can't wake up that early without an alarm--even with an alarm it's still hard), then went to the dining room to grab a bowl of cereal with milk or a loaf of bread (depends on what's available), then brought them straight to my parents' bedroom which has a TV and DVD player in it, grab the DVD from the DVD drawer, put the DVD into the DVD player and watched Cuba Gooding Jr. dealing with Siberian huskies in Alaska while eating my breakfast. Every single day, until my family's domestic worker got bored with the film and, worse, on the 20-ish day the DVD started to have scratches and become broken not long afterwards that it couldn't be played anymore. By the time I went back to the same mall to find a replacement after that summer was over and Grade 4 started, the DVD was no longer available. Gone from the market.
My first reason was only because of the dogs, but I also experienced something bigger from this film: this is where I actually learned English. Yes, I had English classes in school, but they were focused on reading, writing and speaking. Not so much on the listening part though. This film helped my listening skills. When I watched the film, I turned the English subs on and listened to what Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn and the dogs (yes, they'rejust another typical talking dogs) said. I didn't really get the jokes though (I don't even think that I really understand the "Ted, you're adopted" part at that time), but I did enjoy watching the dogs running around a wintery Alaska (alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. falling and shuffling at many times) while improving my English listening skills.
So, apart from its flaws, sloppy screenwriting (which I finally realize after I rewatched it as a film student) and somehow unfunny comedy especially to many critics (now that I wonder why would Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Coburn--both being Oscars winners--accept the job to act in this film), I would still be proud to say that this film deserves to be in my Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Films list.
4. Step Up 3D (Jon M. Chu, 2010)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 46%
Alright, I'm going to blatantly say it: let's face it, but who watches any of the Step Up films truly for its story? Because I don't--I honestly find the story not so intriguing, but I don't really care, actually. It's mainly for the dance moves and costumes! And this particular one nailed it, especially in 3D!
3. Last Holiday (Wayne Wang, 2006)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 55%
This one was released when I was 13, I guess. I didn't recall buying the film, I guess it was either my mum or dad simply because there's Queen Latifah in it. Actually, there's nothing different in the structure of the plot, but I laughed with its comedy and enjoyed Georgia Byrd's journey in Europe though (at that time, I haven't rewatched the film since I got into film school). Plus, it used to make me want to name my son Didier in hopes that my son would be a great chef just like Chef Didier (Gérard Depardieu) in the film hahaha.
In the "About Me" section of my Grade 9 paper (in my school we have to write a very simple supposedly research paper in order to graduate), I wrote this film as one of my favorite films. Now that Last Holiday does not make it into my favorite films list anymore, I would humbly put this into my Guilty Pleasure Films list.
2. 13 Going on 30 (Gary Winick, 2004)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 64%
As the highest-scoring film from this list, this chick-flick is somewhat loved among critics and people, especially girls who are 13 *wink-wink*. This was released in 2004 and I knew the title at first as Suddenly 30. I remember the poster of this film as Jennifer Garner blowing a bubble gum (although I recall no memory of watching the film during the 2000s). In fact, I just watched this film on May 14 this year! But I'm directly loving this film!
I kinda relate with Jenna when I was 13 and 14. It's like I also don't want to be 13 or 14. I just want to be a successful adult so I don't have to undergo school and all its peer pressures (now that I'm 21 and almost 22, I regret that I wished something similar like this, LOL! Being an adult is no easy job at all!). Jennifer Garner also delivered a good performance as an adult who is actually just a 13-year-old at heart. Her character is loveable. Yes, this has plot holes and unimportant dialogues too, but I can still enjoy the film with all its comedies and romance going on. Also, I ship Jenna and Matt!
This film helped me go through all the stress and pressures that my thesis gave me. My thesis has ruined my sleeping time that I find it hard to sleep at normal times now, so my way to go through the night (which is sometimes long) is by watching films--after watching this one, it really made me feel entertained and refreshed to write my thesis again.
And then this guy. This guy. My gosh, the Hulk. How can Mark Ruffalo be so damn cute, hot and handsome, all at once?! Plus I get to see (young) him dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller, which is one rare stuff! *fangirling*
1. Made of Honor (Paul Weiland, 2008)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: f****** 14%? Really? :")
This one was released when I was in Grade 9, but I didn't get to watch the film until Grade 10. My main reason of buying the film was because there's Patrick Dempsey in it--come on, Grey's Anatomy was so hyped at that time, which made people realize how beautifully handsome and loveable McDreamy is that some of them are willing to watch just about every Patrick Dempsey's film, or at least not to miss any of Grey's Anatomy Season 4's episodes. And then I realize that Michelle Monaghan is also just simply gorgeous and beautiful after watching the film (and she still is, even up until now).
Yes, I know there's nothing original in the film's story. I know Tom might have been a quite creepy character for many people. I also know that it has plot holes and the story drags in the middle. But still... I don't think it's that bad. At least both Dempsey and Monaghan delivered strong performances, where I can feel their chemistry. I even think that this is still a much better film than A Walk to Remember! *sitting at the corner of the room, facing the wall*
This film made me refuse to go out from my house to see the fireworks on 2009's New Year (or 2010, I forgot the year). I said to my parents, who asked me to go out at that New Year's Eve to see the fireworks, "I have seen enough noisy fireworks every New Year." LOL that was hilarious!
And also, for one reason, who doesn't want to see Dempsey juggling plates?! *also fangirling*
If this post appears on a different day, that means I have delayed publishing it.
As I have promised before in my previous post, here I am going to make a list of my top five guilty pleasure films.
Being a film student, I am constantly taught and told about the ideal filmmaking formulas and tips that actually work. I am given loads of good films to watch from various directors, genres, styles and countries (and yes, I would admit that I still lack a lot of watching, to be honest). You name it: The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Battleship Potemkin, 2001: A Space Odyssey... whatever "snobbish" film titles which might appear on many film critics' "Best Movies" list. On and off the class, I would be given tasks to write reports on film history and its movements, or to watch videos of cinematographers talking about the development of cinematography in cinema and how to work with directors, and still many more related stuff. Basically just anything about film, especially the good ones.
But doing that should not make me or any film student be snob, though. Yes, I know that this makes us watch more quality films but let's admit it, there must be films that may not be considered good enough by most people but we still love it though. One of my screenwriting lecturers, who is an expert screenwriter, a famous script doctor/consultant and a strict guru on "somebody who wants something so bad but is having obstacles reaching it" logline/premise, once bluntly admitted in front of me and my film classmates that she actually enjoyed Michael Bay's films: Armageddon, The Rock, even the first installment of the bloody Transformers series (although gratefully not the last two). "Because they have characters," she said. What is meant by "they have characters" here is that the characters are interesting enough and they have stories to tell--something that not all films succeed in doing so.
Well, I think that's enough introduction, so let me just start writing my list, for whatever reason that is. And if any of you would think that "why would you like any of those films?", the answer would: well... and that is why this is called as a guilty pleasure list, I suppose.
P.S.: you won't find the likes of Nicolas Sparks' adapted films here. Sorry.
5. Snow Dogs (Brian Levant, 2002)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 24%
On a deeper note, this film has been a part of my life history. I remember clearly the first time I watched this film was when I was in 3rd grade. What brought me to watch this film was on one weekend (I suppose it was a Saturday), I was walking around a mall in South Jakarta with my family, where many of the DVD stores in the mall displayed this film at the New Release section. I have always loved dogs, so I begged my parents to buy me the film, but it was almost the exam week and they're afraid that I would be distracted from studying had they bought the film straightaway on that day, so they promised me that they would buy this film after I finish all my exams. And they did. The film came home to me the next weekend.
Well, there goes my journey with this film. During the summer vacation from Grade 3 to Grade 4, I would watch this film everyday, every morning to be exact. I wasn't going anywhere during that summer since my parents were working, so it was somewhat a blessing in disguise. I woke up at 7.15 am (I wonder how did I do it back then now that I can't wake up that early without an alarm--even with an alarm it's still hard), then went to the dining room to grab a bowl of cereal with milk or a loaf of bread (depends on what's available), then brought them straight to my parents' bedroom which has a TV and DVD player in it, grab the DVD from the DVD drawer, put the DVD into the DVD player and watched Cuba Gooding Jr. dealing with Siberian huskies in Alaska while eating my breakfast. Every single day, until my family's domestic worker got bored with the film and, worse, on the 20-ish day the DVD started to have scratches and become broken not long afterwards that it couldn't be played anymore. By the time I went back to the same mall to find a replacement after that summer was over and Grade 4 started, the DVD was no longer available. Gone from the market.
My first reason was only because of the dogs, but I also experienced something bigger from this film: this is where I actually learned English. Yes, I had English classes in school, but they were focused on reading, writing and speaking. Not so much on the listening part though. This film helped my listening skills. When I watched the film, I turned the English subs on and listened to what Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn and the dogs (yes, they're
So, apart from its flaws, sloppy screenwriting (which I finally realize after I rewatched it as a film student) and somehow unfunny comedy especially to many critics (now that I wonder why would Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Coburn--both being Oscars winners--accept the job to act in this film), I would still be proud to say that this film deserves to be in my Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Films list.
4. Step Up 3D (Jon M. Chu, 2010)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 46%
Alright, I'm going to blatantly say it: let's face it, but who watches any of the Step Up films truly for its story? Because I don't--I honestly find the story not so intriguing, but I don't really care, actually. It's mainly for the dance moves and costumes! And this particular one nailed it, especially in 3D!
3. Last Holiday (Wayne Wang, 2006)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 55%
This one was released when I was 13, I guess. I didn't recall buying the film, I guess it was either my mum or dad simply because there's Queen Latifah in it. Actually, there's nothing different in the structure of the plot, but I laughed with its comedy and enjoyed Georgia Byrd's journey in Europe though (at that time, I haven't rewatched the film since I got into film school). Plus, it used to make me want to name my son Didier in hopes that my son would be a great chef just like Chef Didier (Gérard Depardieu) in the film hahaha.
In the "About Me" section of my Grade 9 paper (in my school we have to write a very simple supposedly research paper in order to graduate), I wrote this film as one of my favorite films. Now that Last Holiday does not make it into my favorite films list anymore, I would humbly put this into my Guilty Pleasure Films list.
2. 13 Going on 30 (Gary Winick, 2004)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 64%
As the highest-scoring film from this list, this chick-flick is somewhat loved among critics and people, especially girls who are 13 *wink-wink*. This was released in 2004 and I knew the title at first as Suddenly 30. I remember the poster of this film as Jennifer Garner blowing a bubble gum (although I recall no memory of watching the film during the 2000s). In fact, I just watched this film on May 14 this year! But I'm directly loving this film!
I kinda relate with Jenna when I was 13 and 14. It's like I also don't want to be 13 or 14. I just want to be a successful adult so I don't have to undergo school and all its peer pressures (now that I'm 21 and almost 22, I regret that I wished something similar like this, LOL! Being an adult is no easy job at all!). Jennifer Garner also delivered a good performance as an adult who is actually just a 13-year-old at heart. Her character is loveable. Yes, this has plot holes and unimportant dialogues too, but I can still enjoy the film with all its comedies and romance going on. Also, I ship Jenna and Matt!
This film helped me go through all the stress and pressures that my thesis gave me. My thesis has ruined my sleeping time that I find it hard to sleep at normal times now, so my way to go through the night (which is sometimes long) is by watching films--after watching this one, it really made me feel entertained and refreshed to write my thesis again.
And then this guy. This guy. My gosh, the Hulk. How can Mark Ruffalo be so damn cute, hot and handsome, all at once?! Plus I get to see (young) him dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller, which is one rare stuff! *fangirling*
1. Made of Honor (Paul Weiland, 2008)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: f****** 14%? Really? :")
This one was released when I was in Grade 9, but I didn't get to watch the film until Grade 10. My main reason of buying the film was because there's Patrick Dempsey in it--come on, Grey's Anatomy was so hyped at that time, which made people realize how beautifully handsome and loveable McDreamy is that some of them are willing to watch just about every Patrick Dempsey's film, or at least not to miss any of Grey's Anatomy Season 4's episodes. And then I realize that Michelle Monaghan is also just simply gorgeous and beautiful after watching the film (and she still is, even up until now).
Yes, I know there's nothing original in the film's story. I know Tom might have been a quite creepy character for many people. I also know that it has plot holes and the story drags in the middle. But still... I don't think it's that bad. At least both Dempsey and Monaghan delivered strong performances, where I can feel their chemistry. I even think that this is still a much better film than A Walk to Remember! *sitting at the corner of the room, facing the wall*
This film made me refuse to go out from my house to see the fireworks on 2009's New Year (or 2010, I forgot the year). I said to my parents, who asked me to go out at that New Year's Eve to see the fireworks, "I have seen enough noisy fireworks every New Year." LOL that was hilarious!
And also, for one reason, who doesn't want to see Dempsey juggling plates?! *also fangirling*
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