New York, I love you

'New York, I love you' is a film that includes 11 short dramas, with genre of Romantic Comedy-drama. Every short drama is directed by different directors namely, Jiang Wen, Mira Nair, Shinji Iwai, Yvan Ittal, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Kapur, Natalie Portman, Fatih Akin, Joshua Marston and Randy Balsmeyer. All the love stories in this film is situated in New York.

I, personally do not enjoy the whole film although there are a lot of stars in the film, such as Natalie Portman, Blake Lively, Bradley Cooper and many more. Maybe it is one of the show that includes a lot of short dramas. I felt like there is no proper flow of the story in each drama. Everything ends too quickly. When it starts to excite me, it is the time it is going to end.

I think if it's gonna be a show with no climax, maybe just showing on how a relationship works, just like one of the show in 'New York, I love you' that portrayed the old couple, namely Abe and Mitzie, which played by Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman. I love the way they portray this drama. They have a small quarrel. This makes the whole drama to be able to settle it easily, without needing to delay the show. However, they focus more on how their relationship works no matter how old they are. They portrayed the value of, 'Age is just a number'. How lovely it is, nothing change since the day they start dating each other!

The other drama in 'New York, I love you' that I kind of admire is about this nerdy that want to date a girl in a prom. There's this guy who introduced his daughter to him to date during the prom. Unfortunately, it came out to be that lady is unable to walk, therefore with a wheelchair. That guy was kind of disappointed at first, but he gave himself a try. Afterall, they worked things out that night, and the lady surprised him the next morning as she was faking that she could not walk. I felt this drama is kind of complete. It does not make me feel like hanging with the show. 

Rating of this film? I don't think I could rate this film. I would be too bias for me to rate as I personally don't like films that involved a lot of dramas in it. It makes me confused. At some point, I thought the drama is not ending yet, but it actually ended and continued with other drama. 

Ah Joe ON for Thai Film! (Hom Rong)

For the very first time, I am going for Thai film! It is a Thai film namely Hom Rong also known as The Overture in English. The Overture is a film based on the traditional musical involving a main character named, Sorm Silapabanleng who is talented in music. The movie is directed by Ittisoontorn Vichailak. Sorm is a Thai, who picked up the ra-nad ek, also known as the Thai Xylophone since he was a child and he played it throughout his whole life. At the begining, his father did not allow him to play ra-nad ek because he was thinking there is no future playing ra-nad ek.






One night, he stole his father's ra-nad ed while his father was sleeping. Somehow, his dad also noticed it. His dad did approach to his friend, who is a monk, instead of Sorm. This is because he wanted to know the opinion from his friend about his son playing music. The monk told him not to hide his talent. In the end, Sorm's father agreed to allow him to play ra-nad ed as he could see Sorm's talent. As he grew older, he started being more arrogant. One fine day, he met his master, Tian.  He was asked to play in a palace to compete with his main competitor, Khun In.

The picture above is called ra-nad ek.

 It has 22 wooden bars suspended by chords over a boat-shaped through resonator and is played with 2 mallets.

To me, I think this is very much of a motivational video. It shows how much Sorm has gone through no matter how much his dad did not allow him to play, no matter how much he failed to his competitor from the beginning. He practiced to play like his competitor, then he challenged himself to create new style of playing. He impressed everyone in the palace, not only everyone in the palace, but his competitor. His competitor was so challenged to play even harder until he fainted.

However, I find this script of this film is a little so typical Asian show. I personally think that most of the Asian show are very traditional. Unlike Hollywood's are very futuristic or very current generation kind of show. It is interesting how they put in an interesting way to motivate people by challenging people who are more senior than him, going through his dad who was highly disagreeing with him playing ra-nad ek.

Props and lighting are very decent. Not bad, not too good also. I would say above average. I would rate this movie as 7/10 as compared to all the Asian's film. As I mentioned before, we cannot compare local/Asian's film to Hollywood's.

And Ah Joe Goes on With, "Brave", the animation.

I think 'Brave' is one of the latest animated show that I have watch. I do not always watch animation, but every time I watch I tried to find the moral value in the show. This is because I always believe that every animations have a moral story as it is for the kids to learn. Well, I am not saying animations are not for young adults. So, what is Brave about? 

Brave is about this family Princess (Merida), the King (Fergus) and the Queen (Elinor). Both the King and the Queen wants Princess Merida to get married. However, Princess Merida does not like it. One day, coincidentally, she met a witch. So, she decided to ask the witch to change her mother's mindset. However, in the end, the mother turned into a bear, running out of the castle, asking for help. Princess Merida felt so sorry and kept protecting the Queen. 

To me, I think the moral story is to learn how to see each of everyone's thought as individual. It is also clear enough when the witch said, if were to turn the Queen back to normal, they have to: 

Fate the change, Look inside,

Mend the bond, Torn the pride.

I think, the reason why the witch turn the Queen into a bear is to tell her that, the Queen should not ask a person to do something that a person does not like. Just like the Queen who turned into a bear, which is something she does not want. Through out the whole journey while the Queen is still the bear, Princess Merida was there for the Queen. 

The script would be quite a bad idea as Merida is one of the failure princess. Merida always argued back whatever she thinks it is right, no matter if she is speaking to her mother or father. One of the part where Merida said, 'I would rather die than being you', it is very rude if any kids learn that from a film. 

I do not think I have any favorite character in this film. If I have to choose one favorite character, it would be the small kids. Through out the whole film, those 3 kids are the one putting the most expression as they are always hyper active. Rather than Princess Merida or the Queen. They are either having a disappointed expression, or satisfied or being sad.

Finally, my rating is 7.0. I've not seen much good animation, though I think there are some part could be improvise. This could be one of the best one.

Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa

                                            Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa


This could be the first local movie I have ever watch in my life. It is interesting to know how local movies are. Of course, we cannot compare our films with Hollywood's films. I would never believe such good movie would be able to produce in Malaysia until I watch this. They have really amazing props, costumes and setting. The level of creativity is highly respected.

   

This is a story about the Roman Prince, named Marcus who travelled to his wedding with this chinese princess, Ming Li Hua. Marcus then came across with this man, Merong at Goa, while he was fighting for his life over there. He thinks he is powerful, so he decided to ask for help from Merong. Merong, furthermore knows a lot about seas. This make Marcus even want him more as he wants to get to Langkasuka as soon as possible. 

Marcus in Goa

As I mentioned before, the props, costumes and settings are amazingly creative. The costumes are very suitable for each of every character. It is superb to know that every character of a different culture with different attire. For example, Marcus dressed up like a real warrior who is going to war, Merong

dressed up like a typical olden days local fighter, and finally, the chinese dressed up in their traditional Chinese attire, also the chinese warrior suit. This is a very good idea for a local film as to show our country consist of different race.

The setting and the props in the film plays a vital role as well. The ships, the barracks, the camps and the place where everyone fights. Everything look good especially in the ship. I think local films should produced more of these kind of films. 

I do not think that I have found my favorite character in the film yet. I think everyone acts equally well in the film. In my opinion, I think everyone gave their best expression during the acting. It looks so perfect. However, the whole fighting scene is just a big disappointment to me. Especially the killing part, I think everything look not so realistic. 

Since there are good parts of the film, of course, there are negativity about the films as well. First thing just shot into my mind is, how did Marcus stay alive after being stabbed. It is kinda weird that anyone would still be alive. Even a 10 year old boy would expect him to be dead. It could be done that way, but the script have to be modified to explain how did Marcus survive in the end.

So here comes to rating part. 

I think they deserved 8/10 for setting, props, costumes, choice of character and the actings, while 6/10 for their script. I know the script is kind of bad, but it's local film, we can't expect much, can we? So, overall, I give it a 7/10 rating.